THE LYRE-BIRD. 87 



THE LYRE-BIRD. 



The lyre-bird is, I presume, the shyest bird known. 

 I am told that it is impossible to tame it. Its resort 

 is just as far from civilization as possible. Only the 

 natives can claim to have much knowledge of them. 

 The hunter has to use the greatest caution to get 

 within reach of them. 



Those white men who have camped in the wilder- 

 ness, or the early settlers who have heard them in the 

 scrub some distance away, tell us that they have the 

 power to imitate almost any sound which may arrest 

 their attention, such as the barking of a dog, the loud 

 snapping of a whip, the cootfe of the bushman or the 

 herder, or the ring of the axe upon the hard trees. 



The lyre-bird has no beauty whatever except in his 

 tail. For this there is considerable demand. It is 

 sometimes difficult to get them. We were able, how- 

 ever, to procure a pair, which we very highly prize. 



THE KINGFISHER. 



There is a large variety of kingfishers throughout 

 the continent. Besides the species especially men- 

 tioned below, there are the following : Leach's king- 

 fisher, fawn-breasted kingfisher, sacred kingfisher, 

 red-backed kingfisher, sordid kingfisher, MacLeay's 



