248 ROBERTS, Prince Bdii.'ard's Lyrc-Bird. [TsVS 



of its leading features reveals that the upper surface is covered 

 in jet black doivn, the under surface bare. The down follows 

 the adult pterylae (or feather tracts), and is not uniform in dis- 

 tribution or in length as it is in a chicken or duckling. That on 

 the cephalic (head) tract is very long and striking, and stands 

 straight up in a tuft, giving the young bird the appearance of a 

 South Sea Islander. The neck is scantily clad, the back lightly 

 covered, and the ventral tract is simply indicated by a narrow 

 black line almost devoid of even a suspicion of down. The down 

 on the cephalic pteryla persists throughout the time the bird is 

 in the nest, and is at a month old an inch long at least : the ven- 

 tral tract never produces any appreciable down, and is the first 

 to bring forth a covering of feathers. The only other striking 

 features are the legs and feet, to which reference will be made 

 later. 



Growth is very slow comparatively, and at a fortnight the 

 bird is quite helpless as regards co-ordinated movements, and in 

 respect to this sub-species I cannot agree with the statement of 

 Ramsay and Keene {vide supra), who state, when speaking of a 

 bird near Gosford : "The young bird then about a fortnight old 

 .... temporarily escaped and had to be chased through the un- 

 dergrowth." 



At a month the young bird is still cjuite helpless as regards run- 

 ning, or even stancling unsupported, and pants hea^•ily in the sun if 

 removed from the nest. I have already indicated its feathering, 

 and there are no tail feathers. If you approach tlie nest, keeping 

 out of the line of sight from the entrance, and walk round 

 quietly, the young will chirrup gently. It never puts its head out 

 to inspect the surroundings, and keeps up the chirruping till it 

 catches a glimpse of the intruder, when it will gaze for a few 

 moments and finally sink out of sight. Peer in at the opening, 

 and it will stand up, partly supported by the walls, puff up its 

 down and feathers, and look fierce just as a young domestic 

 pigeon; put in your hand, and it will back to its rump finally 

 sitting right down on its rump and hocks, the enormous feet 

 completely shielding it. .\nd these feet are a thing of wonder to 

 me; they have needle sharp claws and a wonderfully co-ordin- 

 ated grip in striking contrast with the other developed move- 

 ments of the bird. They make one 1ruly mindful of an instru- 

 ment rather than a tool, and there can be no doubt of their pre- 

 cision. A young Magpie will blindly grasp and hang on with its 

 feet: not so these, for they open, shut and grasp beautifully, like 

 an accurate piece of machinery. 



Meanwhile, it utters loud cries of alarm, similar to the adult, 

 and chief being a high-pitched K-e-r-w-i-s-t ; the mother answers, 

 and coming from nowhere fearlessly rushes down the rocks, 

 affording a perfect view of her carriage and gait, and another, 

 an extraordinary movement, of which a descri])tion will be given 

 later. The gait is a regular foot auvl wing movement, the foot 

 for propulsion, the wing for balancing. Gliding from rock to 

 rock, the feet and wings extended, she touches as a breath any- 



