176 BEAUTIFUL BIRDS 
know that it was quite ordinary. But, do you know, 
Apollo never quite liked the Lyre-bird’s imitating 
him, even though he had told it that it might, and 
so, not so very long afterwards, he left the country. 
He went to Greece—it was a very long time ago— 
and he has not gone back to Australia yet. 
Now you may be sure that a bird with a tail like 
that has his playing ground, where he may come and 
show it to his wife or sweetheart; for it is only the 
male bird who has it—like the others—though, really, 
I cannot think what Apollo was about, not to give it 
to the hen as well, for he was always a very polite 
god. The Lyre-bird’s playground is a small, round 
hillock—which he makes all himself—and there he 
will come and walk about, raising his magnificent tail 
right up into the air, and spreading it out in the most 
beautiful and graceful way. And, as he does this, he 
will sing so beautifully, sometimes his own notes, 
which are very pretty ones, and sometimes those of 
other birds, all of which he can imitate quite well. 
But, of course, as Apollo has left Australia, he cannot 
imitate him any more now, and after such a long time 
he has forgotten what he learnt, unless, indeed, his 
own notes are what Apollo used to play. But, if that 
is the case, he must have left off singing his old song, 
and I do not think he would have done that. 
This wonderful bird builds a wonderful nest 
