870 NOTES ON THE VICTORIA LYRE BIRD, 



DANCING GROUNDS. 



These (lancino^ g-roiinds are open spaces, generally about 3 feet 

 in diameter, situated preferably in a rather clear place in a patch of 

 dense scrub. In some cases they are raised several inches above the 

 general level of the surrounding ground, while in others there is little 

 or no difference in level. The surface, which is flat, appears to have 

 been scratched up by the birds, and the sticks, roots, and pieces of 

 grass or creepers thrown to one side. Numerous examples have 

 been noted in various parts of eastern Victoria, but in no case have I 

 seen any evidence of a beating down of the surface. They all had 

 a more or less freshly scratched appearance. On only one occasion 

 have I been fortunate enough to see the birds dancing. This was on 

 the top of Mount Wild Boar, about 8 o'clock on a foggy morning 

 (March 11), 180G). When w^alking quietly alone along a track I sud- 

 denly heard and immediately saw two male birds performing on one 

 of these grounds. They were alternately advancing and receding, turn- 

 ing, bowing, whirling, hopping, and running about round the ground. 

 While doing this they raised and lowered their tails repeatedl}^ 

 Sometimes they put their heads through their raised tails, and, turn- 

 ing them, seemed to be admiring the lyre designs thereon. At the 

 same time they were, in rather subdued tones, whistling- beautifully 

 and mimicking all the forest birds. One female bird walked quietly 

 round the dance, making a few short, hen-like notes, and pre- 

 tended to pick up a grub here and there and to be unconcerned about 

 the dance. She, however, cast occasional glances at the male birds, 

 and was doubtless making her choice of a mate. I was in a hurry to 

 search for a missing horse, and could not watch them for more than 

 a few minutes, so quietly went past and left them undisturbed. 



MIMICRY. 



The lyre bird is an extraordinarily good mimic. No sound is too 

 difficult for it to reproduce, and the imitation, in the case of all sweetly 

 musical notes, is an exact reproduction of the originals, while of those 

 of a harsh nature it is a highly refined imitation. Its rendering of 

 the rich liquid notes of the gray magpie {Strepera cimeicaudata) , the 

 butcher bird {Cracticus destructor)^ the gray thrush {Collyriocincla 

 /)armoniea),i\nd the magpie (Gymnorhinaleuconota and G. tihicen) is 

 superb ; similarly with the chirp and twitter of the small scrub wrens 

 and tits. In the case of the laughing jackass {Dacelo gigas) the 

 harsh, grating, laughter-like effort of this quaint bird is rendered in a 

 manner so refined as to afford a pleasing contrast with the original. 

 The swish of the coach-di-iverV whip, the sound of the saw and ax, 

 which I have heard on the Blacks Spur and near Marysville, are per- 

 fect deceptions, and the rapidity with which the notes of various 



