41 
May 11, 1841. 
William Horton Lloyd, Esq., in the Chair. 
Mr. Gould read his paper upon the Menura or Lyre-bird (Menura 
superba) of Australia. This bird, like the Brush Turkey (Talegalla 
Lathami, Gould), has been classed by ornithologists in various groups, 
but perhaps most generally it has been regarded as one of the Galli- 
naceous order. Mr. Gould’s observations, however, all tend to prove 
that it ought to be arranged among the Insessores, and is most 
nearly allied to certain South American genera of Ground Thrushes, 
such as Pteroptochos, Scytalopus, &c. 
The Menura is a terrestrial bird, and but rarely takes to the wing. 
When pursued it generally escapes by running into the thick brush- 
wood: it is so extremely shy, the author observes, that of all the 
birds he ever met with the Lyre-bird is by far the most difficult to 
procure. 
Whilst among the brushes he has been surrounded by these birds, 
pouring forth their loud and liquid calls, for days together without 
being able to get a sight of them, and it was only by the most de- 
termined perseverance and extreme caution that he was enabled to 
effect this desirable object, which was rendered the more difficult by 
their often frequenting the almost inaccessible and precipitous sides 
of gullies and ravines. Its food appears to consist principally of in- 
sects, especially those of the Coleopterous order, and Centipedes. 
Mr. Gould also found the remains of shells of snails in the gizzard, 
which he remarks is strong and muscular. The nest is placed either 
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. 
The natives state that the eggs are two in number, and of a light 
colour, freckled with red. 
No. C.—Procrrpines or THE ZOOLOGICAL Society. 
