VII. — AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 55 



VII. 



AUSTKALIAN BTEDS. 



The upper floor of the north wing contains the collection of 

 Australian birds. Altogether, there are about 760 species found in 

 Australia and the adjacent islands, of which nearly 700 are 

 represented in the Museum. Our avi-fauna possesses some curious 

 genera, such as Menura, Ptilonorhynchus, Ghlamijdodera, Seenopceus, 

 Leipoa, Talegallus, Pedionomus, and others. For beauty and striking 

 contrasts of plumage, the birds of Australia are unrivalled, and the 

 idea that they have no note or song is without foundation. In 

 the Australian Bush, what is more pleasant than to listen in the 

 early morning to the flute-like notes of the piping Crow-shrike 

 {Gymnorhina tibicen) and the rich and varied natural notes of 

 the Lyre-bird {Menura superba), far excelling those of the Song- 

 thrush, and having immense powers of mimicry and ventrilo- 

 quism. This power of ventriloquism is also possessed by the 

 Atrichias, and the Oreoica, while the cheerful notes of the Robins, 

 Flycatchers, and many others of the smaller birds testify to the 

 fact that our birds have both a pleasing note and varied song. 



On entering the northern wing the first thing to arrest 

 attention is a large case containing two groups of Lyre-birds 

 {Menura superha). On the left hand side is a nest containing the 

 young bird, with the male and female close at hand. On the 

 other side is a nest in which the single egg laid by this bird for 

 a sitting is shown. Two adult birds, male and female, complete 

 the group. A very good representation is given of the 

 localities which these birds love to frequent and of their breeding 

 places. 



To the right of the above case is another (No. 86), containing a 

 group of Mortier's Tribonyx {Trihonyx moriieri), ten in all, 

 showing the difierent stages of plumage, from the young just out 

 of the shell to the fully adult stage. A very good idea of the 

 habits of these birds is given by the representation of a rush- 

 bordered stream. On the left-hand side of the group of Lyre-birds 



