CLASS II. AYES: ORDER 4. COLUMB^. 



233 



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THE SUPERB MEN0RA. 



arranged with very different groups by different authors, some placing it with the gallinaceous 

 birds, its apparent relation to which is shown by the name Wood-Phcnsant, sometimes given to 

 it ; others with the hornbills and the hoatzin among the conirostres ; others in the neighborhood 

 of the thrushes ; others with the wrens ; and others with the pigeons. It is nearly the size of 

 the common fowl, but is rendered remarkable by the structure of the feathers of the tail in the 

 male. These are very long, and of three kinds. Twelve of them arc furnished with slender dis- 

 tant barbs, wliich give them an exceedingly light appearance ; two others, placed in the middle 

 of the tail, are furnished with short close barbs only on one side, while the most striking feature 

 of all is formed by the two external quill-feathers, which are very broad, and curved into the form 

 of an elongated S, so arranged as to present a close resemblance in outline to the lyre of the 

 ancients. 



The bird is supported upon long and tolerably strong legs, terminated by feet which, except 

 for the absence of membranes at the base of the toes, might easily be mistaken for those of a gal- 

 linaceous bird ; and the lyre-bird runs upon the ground with great facility, and, in fact, in many 



Vol. II.— 30 



