Mr. A. A. Leycester on Prince Albert's Lyre-hird. 167 



a few days after the Rock-hoppers'. The young Shags attain 

 their plumage about the same time as the young Rock-hoppers, 

 that is, about the beginning of April. Then they all leave the 

 breeding-ground, and the rookeiy is deserted until the next 

 season. 



66. PnALACROcoRAX MAGELLANicus (Gm.). (Common Shag.) 



This Shag is very common along the coasts of the Falklands 

 all the year round. It breeds on the cliffs in communities, 

 making its nests, of mud and sea-weed, on the ledges of the rocks, 

 and laying three eggs, which do not differ from those of the 

 King-Shag in appearance. 



It appears to me probable that the thick limy coating which 

 covers the eggs of this group of birds is given them in order to 

 strengthen the shell. Shags, when disturbed from their nests, 

 frequently, even with this additional protection, break their eggs 

 with their feet, as I have myself witnessed on more occasions 

 than one. 



The young of the Common Shag of the first year are uniform 

 dark, nearly black in colouring ; whereas the young of the King- 

 Shag attain their adult plumage the first year, before leaving the 

 Penguins^ rookeries. 



XVI. — Narrative of an Excursion to the Mountains of the Rich- 

 mond River, New South Wales, in quest of Prince Albert's 

 Lyre-bird. By Augustus A. Leycester*. 



In order to ascertain the habits and economy of Menura alberti 

 more correctly than I had hitherto done, towards the end of the 

 month of April 1859, I made preparations for a shooting-cam- 

 paign in the brushy mountains of the Richmond River. I first 

 installed into my service two of my old favourite aborigines, Billy 

 and Davy. The former was quite a young man, and had not 

 yet taken to himself a wife ; the latter was about thirty years of 

 age, and, being of noble family, indulged in the right of two 

 wives, one of whom had two children, and the other none. We 



* Communicated to the Editor by John Gould, Esq., F.R.S., for insertion 

 in ' The Ibis.' 



