INSESSORES. 301 



the plumage of his tail, the new feathers of which appear in 

 February or March, but do not attain their full beauty and 

 perfection until June; during this and the four succeeding 

 months it is in its finest state; after this the feathers are 

 gradually shed, to be resumed again at the period above 

 stated. I am led to believe that they are all assumed 

 simultaneously, by the fact of a native having brought to my 

 camp a specimen with a tail not more than six inches long, 

 the feathers of which were in embryo, and all of the same 

 length. Upon reference to my journal I 'find the following 

 notes upon the subject : — " Mar. 14, Liverpool range. Several 

 3/enuras killed to-day : their tails not so fine as they will be," 

 " Oct. 25. — I find this bird is now losing its tail-feathers ; and, 

 judging from appearances, they will be all shed in a fortnight." 



The food of the Menura consists of insects, particularly 

 centipedes and coleoptera ; I also found the remains of shelled 

 snails in the gizzard, which is very strong and muscular. 



I never found the nest but once, and this unfortunately 

 was after the breeding-season was over ; but all those of 

 whom I made inquiries respecting it, agreed in assuring me 

 that it is either placed on the ledge of a projecting rock, 

 at the base of a tree, or on the top of a stump, but always 

 near the ground ; and a cedar-cutter whom I met in the 

 brushes informed me that he had once found a nest, which, 

 to use his own expression, was " built like that of a magpie," 

 adding that it contained . but one egg, and that upon his 

 visiting the nest again some time afterwards he found in it a 

 newly-hatched young, which was helpless and destitute of the 

 power of vision. The nest seen by myself was placed on 

 the prominent point of a rock, in a situation quite secluded 

 from observation behind, but affording the bird a command- 

 ing view and easy retreat in front ; it was deep and shaped 

 like a basin, and had the appearance of having been roofed, 

 was of a large size, formed outwardly of sticks, and lined with 

 the inner bark of trees and fibrous roots. 



