82 AS HBY— Australia s Mocking Bird 



brighten them up. We had hardly reached a deep gully (that had 

 once been rung out, but is now fast going back into luxuriant 

 scrub) with rain pouring down, when we heard a Lyre-Bird 

 calling "chunk, chunk," with a metallic ring in this loud note, 

 .which my companion told me was the bird's natural note, not 

 an imitation cry. We took off our mackintoshes, because of 

 ^he swish they make as one pushes through the scrub, and hoped 

 the rain would ease off a bit, as we preferred not to be soaked to 

 The skin. The bird was calling some quarter of a mile away, 

 pn the top of the ridge, of which the fern-gully formed the foot. 

 On reaching the top of the ridge, vve found that the bird we 

 were after was still a quarter of a mile further on, but another 

 then commenced calling nearer to us, so we, with the greatest 

 care, worked our way, moving only when the bird vras calling, 

 and stopping dead when the bird was silent, and at last, by this 

 method, succeeded in working our way through the scrub till wo 

 were under 50 yards from the bird. We then waited for a long 

 time, enjoying the treat of its wonderful performance. 



(1) It had been uttering its original cry for some time — 

 "chunk, chunk," repeated in duplicate, with a short breathing 

 .space between each repetition. 



(2) It went through the flute-like whistle of the Butcher- 

 jbird (Bulestes torqiiatiis olindus Mat.), giving the full run of 

 Jiquid, flute-like notes of that bird to perfection. Then a pause, 

 while the Lyre was listening, then came 



(3) the strange, long-drawn-out notes of the Gang Gang 

 Cockatoo iCalloccpJialon galeaturn Lath.). These were re- 

 peated several times, and again absolute silence, followed by 



(4) the two long-drawn-out notes of the Coach- Whip Bird, 

 ending with the resounding "crack" for which that bird is noted. 

 Again silence, and then the flute-like notes of the Butcher Bird 

 greeted our ears; in fact, these notes recurred several times 

 throughout the performance. 



(5) The impressive silence was followed jby the weird wail- 

 ing notes of the Funeral Cockatoo [Calyptorhynclius funereus 

 xanthanotus Gould) . several wails being given before the next 

 silence. 



(Q) Then came the harsh, gutteralcall of the Wattle Bird, 

 (Coleia carunculata tregellasi Mat.), so familiar to us all ; this 

 followed by the swish and rustle of the bird's beautiful tail as 

 he shook it over his back, and rustled the long tail feathers to- 

 gether. We were just too far away to get this sound properly. 

 This part of the performance was immediately followed by 



