THE LYRE BIRD. ii 
and crawl beneath and among the branches with the utmost caution, taking 
care only to advance when the bird’s attention is occupied in singing, or in 
scratching up the leaves in search of food. To watch its action, it is neces- 
sary to remain perfectly motionless, not venturing to move even in the slight- 
est degree, or it vanishes from sight as if by magic. Although I have said 
so much on the cautiousness of the Menura, it is not always so alert; in 
some of the more accessible brushes, through which roads have been cut, it 
may frequently be seen, and on horseback, even closely approached, the 
bird evincing less fear of those animals than of man. 
“The Lyre Bird is of a wandering disposition, and although it probably 
keeps to the same brush, it is constantly engaged in traversing it from one 
end to the other, from the mountain base to the top of the gullies, whose 
steep and rugged sides present no obstacle to its long legs and powerful, mus- 
cular thighs: it is also capable of performing extraordinary leaps, and I 
have heard it stated that it will spring ten feet perpendicularly from the 
ground. Among its many curious habits, the only one at all approaching to 
those of the Gallinacee is that of forming small, round hillocks, which are 
constantly visited during the day, and upon which the male is continually 
tramping, at the same time erecting and spreading out its tail in the most 
graceful manner, and uttering its various cries, sometimes pouring forth its 
natural notes, at others mocking those of other birds, and even the howling 
of the native dog (Dingo). The early morning and the evening are the 
periods when it is most animated and active. 
“The food of the Menura appears to consist principally of insects, partic- 
ularly centipedes and coleoptera ; I also found the remains of shelled snails 
in the gizzard, which is very strong and muscular, 
“JT regret that circumstances did not admit of my acquiring a_ perfect 
knowledge of the nidification of this very singular bird. I never found the 
nest but once, and this unfortunately was after the breeding season was over ; 
but all those of whom I made inquiries respecting it, agreed in assuring me 
that it is either placed on the ledge of a projecting rock, at the base of a 
tree, or on the top of a stump, but always near the ground; and a cedar- 
cutter, whom I met in the brushes, informed me that he had once found a 
nest, which was built like that of a magpie, adding, that it contained but one 
ege. The natives state that the eggs are two in number, of a light color, 
freckled with spots of red. The nest seen by myself, and to which my at- 
tention was drawn by my black companion Natty, was placed on the prom- 
inent point of a rock, in a situation quite secluded from observation behind, 
but affording the bird a commanding view and an easy retreat in front; it 
was deep, and shaped like a basin, and had the appearance of having been 
fe 
