1868.] MESSRS. SCLATER AND SALVIN ON NEW BIRDS. 53 



malous structure and habits of these birds had induced some natu- 

 ralists to place tlieni among the Gallinacere, and others with the In- 

 sessores, in which latter order was, in his opinion, their true position. 

 To what family they belonged was still an open question. lie had 

 formerly associated them with the American genus Pteroplochos, 

 but no longer entertained that view. By one, at least, of the old 

 writers the Lyre-bird was placed with the ParadiseiJce, a view which 

 has lately been revived by Mr. Bartlett. The features most favour- 

 able to this opinion appeared to be the character of the feathers cover- 

 ing the body, and the peculiar form of the two narrow central tail- 

 feathers, which feathers were nearly of the same form in the true 

 Birds of Paradise. 



Mr. Gould then exhibited skins oiMenura superba and M. victoricB, 

 with a chick and egg of the latter species, and directed the attention 

 of the meeting to the peculiar condition of the bird at this early 

 stage of its existence (two days after its exclusion from the egg), 

 when its appearance was so extraordinary as to render it difficult for 

 the most astute ornithologist to determine to what genus it belonged, 

 the entire surface being thickly covered with a lengthened sooty-black 

 down, which assumed the form of a great cowl or hood over the 

 head ; while the under surface was so sparsely clothed, that the throat, 

 flanks, and thighs were nearly naked. The chick also diifered from 

 those of most other birds in the feebleness or comparative non-deve- 

 lopment of the tarsi, toes, and nails, particularly when compared 

 with those of the Gallinacese and Plovers, in which these organs, so 

 necessary for nimble running, were almost perfect, and eminently 

 fitted for aiding them in procuring their subsistence. The Me- 

 nura, on the other hand, was as helpless as a young thrush, or any 

 other Insessorial nestling. It was evident, therefore, that, like them, 

 the solitary young Lyre-bird remained sitting in its great domed nest, 

 and was entirely dependent upon its parents for food and protection 

 until its feeble legs had become fully developed, and its body covered 

 with real feathers. Whether the chick was blind on exclusion from 

 the egg was at present unknown, and this was a point which it 

 would be very interesting to ascertain. 



The following papers were read : — 



1, Descriptions of New Species of Birds of the Families 

 Dendrocolaptidce, Strigida, and Columbidce. By P. L. 



ScLATER and OSBERT Salvin. 



(Plate V.) 



The following descriptions relate to presumed new species of 

 birds which we have lately met with during a revision of the speci- 

 mens of the families DendrocolaptidcB, Strigidce, and Columbidce in 

 our collections. We hope to give illustrations of the greater portion 

 of them in the forthcoming numbers of our ' Exotic Ornithology.' 



