36 Edwards, The Lyre-Bird (Mciiura sttperba). [..f'juiy 



Even in these early days (about 1834) Bennett had cause to 

 lament the rapid disappearance from settled parts of " the kangaroo, 

 Emu, and Lj^re-Pheasant," while the writer (in the " Penny 

 Cyclopaedia," 1839) to whom I am indebted for much ot the 

 above information " hopes that some spirited individual will not 

 suffer the L3Te-tail to become extinct, but will bestir himself to 

 import these magnificent birds into our country (England), where 

 they would form a striking addition to our aviaries." This 

 beneficent hope was, unfortunately, doomed never to be fulfilled 

 — for obvious reasons. 



Although the Lyre-Bird [Menura siiperba) is tending to some 

 extent to place its huge nest in elevated situations — such as tall 

 stumps, tree-ferns, &c., it still breeds in many instances on or 

 close to the ground. The two nests, recently photographed, were 

 built- -one in the heart of dense ferns and the other in perfectly 

 open forest recently devastated by a bush-fire. One nest was well 

 concealed and the other totally destitute of cover. In both 

 instances, however, the egg and the loud-voiced chick were quite 

 at the mercy of prowling foxes. In another instance the nest 

 was built at the butt of a tree-fern, again quite destitute of cover, 

 and, from its great size, a most conspicuous object. Manv other 

 birds, at times, exhibit the same want of caution in the selection 

 of a nesting-site. Thus, the common Magpie (Crow-Shrike) has 

 been known to build its conspicuous nest on a heap of road-metal. 



Some Bird Notes from Bega. 



By H. V. Edwards, R.A.O.U., Bega, N.S.W. 



The White-browed Wood-Swallows arrived here about the 

 middle of this month (October), as they do pretty regularly. Not 

 very long after their advent the big brown chafer beetles began 

 to emerge from the ground. These beetles now annually defoliate 

 the finest gum-trees in many districts. In early years on Monaro, 

 N.S.W., I only remember them as appearing sparsely on gum 

 suckers and small gums — chiefly cabbage gum, white gum, and 

 box. "Is the reduction in the number of insectivorous birds 

 responsible for the increase in this pest ? 



Quail have also put in an appearance. I found one (of tlu; 

 Stubble variety, Coturnix pectoralis) impaled by the neck on tlie 

 top (barb) wire of a fence. It had flown directly into a l)arb, 

 and was- just beginning to decompose when found. 



The Cormorants are arriving from their breeding-grounds 

 contemporaneously with the stirring of mullet fry in the ponds 

 and rivers and the awakening of aquatic life generally. 



The Oriole {Oriolus viridis) arrived in August. These birds were 

 rather troublesome in orchards last summer. I also saw them 

 feeding on the purple-black berries of a species of laurel. The 



