i 



M.tfXURA. 



M.KNURA. 



group of the Gailituuxa. Mr. Swainaon observes tht both these 

 guera hare the feet uncommonly large, and that both seem to repre- 

 sent the scansorial genus Orthonyx, a bird indeed scarcely larger than 

 a iparrow, but agreeing in the very remarkable scansorial character of 

 baring the three fore toes of nearly the same size. " If," continues 

 Mr. Swainson, " the Cracitlir, as we believe, in the scanaorial family of 

 the Ratortt, thU singular analogy is precisely what we should expect 

 in two groups representing the same tribes." In the synopsis at the 

 end of the volume Mr. Swainsou cancels the term Cracida, and 

 substitutes in its place the family Megajmlina (Megapodidce I), 

 remarking, that as he has every reason to believe, from an attentive 

 study of this family, that Crax is an aberrant genus, he has thought 

 it better to correct his former error, and to name the whole from that 

 group which is one of the chief types; and he makes iftenura the first 

 genus of his 'Family Megapodina, Oreatfoots,' with the following 

 generic character: BUI moderate, depressed at the base, straight; 

 the tip obsoletely notched. Nostrils naked and placed near the 

 middle of the bill. Feet very large, strong, and robust ; nearly all 

 the anterior toes equal ; the claws enormous fur the size of the bird, 

 obtuse, and slightly curved. Wings short Tail very long, lyre- 

 shaped ; the feathers singularly developed. The typical or conirostral 

 form of the whole family. 



M. tuptrba (M. Lyra, or lyrata, M. Nova Jfollandur, Shaw, Lath., 

 M. faradiiea, VieilL) is the only species known. 



I.rr-Tlt (Itfnura in/win), mil*. 



Lieutenant Collins, in the work above quoted, gives, towards the 

 end of his second volume, " a more minute and ornithological descrip- 

 tion (with which he had been 'favoured') than that stated above." 

 The second description is M follows. " The bill of this bird, which 

 has been named the M. nptrba, is straight, having the nostrils in the 

 centre of the beak. The base of the upper mandible is furnished 

 with hairs like feathers turning down ; the upper mandible is at the 

 base, somewhat like that of the pigeon. The eyo is a dark hazel, with 

 a bare space around it. The throat and chin are of a dark rufous 

 colour ; the rest, with the body, of a dusky gray. The feathers on the 

 rump are longer than those of the body, and more divided. The 

 colour of the wings, which are concave, is dark rufous. The legs and 

 claws an Urge in proportion to the bird, particularly the claws. The 

 outward toe is connected with the middle one as far as the first joint 

 The tail is long, and composed of three different sorts of feathers, of 

 which the upper aide is of a dark gray, with ferruginous spots. The 



first two lower feathers, which are a little curved in two directions, 

 are beneath of a pearly colour, enriched with several crescent-shaped 

 space*, of a rich rufous and black calour. The laminn are iiuwebbed, 

 turned round toward the extremity, and ornamented with a black 

 bar, the breadth of an inch, and fringed at the end. The shaft of the 

 second, which U likewise long, is fringed with long hair-like filaments; 

 and the third, which is also long and curved, is plumed on the inner 

 side only, except at the extremity, where there are a few separated 

 filaments of a dark gray colour. 



" The female M. tuperba differs very little from the male, except in 

 the tail, which is composed of twelve feathers, a little curved and 

 plumed, having the upper side dark rufous and gray, and the under 

 of a pearly colour." 



The more modern descriptions of the tail of the female state it to 

 be simply brown, and composed of long uniform feathers, which are 

 straight and graduated. 



... 

 - 



Some of the tal'.-fcatbcru of Manura lupcrba. 



Notwithstanding the sombre hues of this extraordinary bird, the 

 magnificence and peculiar structure of the beautiful tail of the male, 

 which imitates the form of an aneicnt Grecian lyre, give it a superb 

 appearance. 



New South Wales, principally in the forests of Hucalyptni and 

 i''irvnrina which cover the blue Mountains, and in their rocky and 

 retired avenues, is the habitat of this bird. 



Lieutenant Collins says that " the following particulars relating to 

 these birds were observed by persons resident in the country, and 

 who were eye-witnesses of what is here told. They frequent retired 

 and inaccessible parts of the interior ; have been seen to run remark- 

 ably fast, but their tails are so cumbrous that they cannot fly in a 

 direct line. They sing for two hours ui tlio morning, beginning from 

 the time when they quit the valley, until they attain the summit of 

 the hill, where they scrapo together a small hillock with their tail spread 

 over them, imitating successively the noto of every bird known in the 

 country. They then return to the valley." If dependence could be 

 placed upon this account as far as relates to the singing, it would 

 assist the views of those who would place Manura near the Thrushes; 

 ! among the gallinaceous birds, singing, in the common acceptation of 

 | the word as applied to birds, is not known. But this sort of state- 

 ments, taken as they mostly are from the relation of those who are 

 not very careful as to the truth of their communications, if they can 

 only surprise and please their auditors, must be received with many 



