190 



THE USEFUL BIRDS 



touched by a human being it is at once deserted, the case 

 being a parallel one with that of the Black Duck. Mr. De 

 Lany, quoted above, tells me the period of incubation of one 

 egg noticed by him was 8 weeks and 1 day. This is a 

 surprisingly long time. The reference made here to Gould's 

 coloured figure of M. swperba will serve to direct you to the 

 nearest resemblance to M. victorice. There is no good plate 

 of the latter species available for inspection. 





Queen Victoria Lyre-bird on its Dancing Moiind. 



Nest. — The description is due to the observations of Mr, 

 Campbell. '' The inner or proper nest is constructed of the 

 dark-brown wiry and fibrous material of tree-fern trunks and 

 other fern rootlets closely matted together and interwoven 

 with stringy leaves, moss, sand, &c., the inside bottom being 

 lined with the bird's own breast feathers. It is oval, about 

 twice the size and same shape as a modern football, with an 



