364 NOTES ON THE VICTOEIA LYRE BIRD. 



to Mount William, thence southwesterly and southerly to Mount 

 Macedon. About Mount William itself there was, in its original 

 state, a small area which might have been suitable for lyre birds, but 

 on the portions between Wandong and Macedon the want of sufficient 

 moisture and scrub is perhaps the reason of their absence. The birds 

 seem to have spread over southeastern Australia from New Guinea by 

 following through Queensland and New South Wales the mountains 

 that form the watershed between the Darling-Murrumbidgee basin 

 and the Pacific Ocean; and this within comparatively recent time, 

 considered from a geological point of view. 



It is a matter for wonder that in suitable country lyre birds have 

 existed in such numbers as they have done. The native carnivorous 

 fauna destructive to them comprise the dingo or wild dog {Canis 

 dingo) ^ the "tiger cat" {Dasyurus maculatus) , and the "native cat" 

 (D. viverrinus). These animals, especially the first two — which are 

 much less numerous than the " native cats " — frequent lyre-bird coun- 

 try. These birds build their nests in spots usually accessible to 

 dingoes, and easily so to the climbing " cats." They have almost in- 

 variably only one young one a year, and yet in most of Gippsland 

 and the northeastern district lyre birds exist in much greater numbers 

 than many of the other larger birds which nest in much less dangerous 

 situations, such as the gray magpie, king lory, wonga-wonga, and 

 bronze-winged pigeons, laughing jackass, and black cockatoo. The 

 lyre bird is a day bird and roosts in trees at night, so except at nesting 

 time it is practically safe from attack. It is a strong, active bird, and 

 could, even if attacked by a " cat " in a tree, either free itself or drag 

 the " cat " to the ground in its first struggle. But it is comparatively 

 helpless when in the nest, and certainly the young are completely so. 

 One fact, however, aids in its protection. The nest is usually not 

 easily seen, especially if the female bird is inside with her tail raised 

 over her head, as is her wont, thus nearly filling up the entrance and 

 breaking the noticeable black cavity of the em])ty nest. 



Xear the source of the King River I have seen the birds going to 

 roost in tall green trees. They can not fly upward like an ordinary 

 bird, but rather partially jump upward in a slanting direction with 

 their outspread wings aiding them by soaring, not flapping. To get 

 into these tall young trees, ranging up to nearly 100 feet in height, 

 they went up by stages, taking advantage of short and long tree ferns 

 and the branches of smaller trees. 



