312 Animal Life 
is strictly necessary to visit just such localities as are described above; for there the 
lyre-bird moves about with a spirit of perfect freedom, waking the still forest depths 
with the charm of its wonderful voice. 
To gain a correct idea of the bird’s talent in mocking sounds with which it is 
familiar, it is a sine qua non that one should be other than ignorant of the general 
“music of the ranges,” for a far greater conception of its vocal powers can be received 
when, in the multiplicity of sounds issuing from that one able throat, the call-notes 
and songs of other birds are recognised. 
The harsh notes of the wattle-bird, the bugling of leather-heads (friar-birds), and 
the liquid whistling of the native thrush, are about as dissimilar in tone and manner 
of production as it is possible for the call-notes of birds to be, yet all are so perfectly 
imitated as frequently to give rise to feelings of incredulity even among practical 
bushmen. Then again, the ery of the curlew, which is at all times sad in the 
extreme, long-drawn and very penetrating, bears no resemblance to the whining, 
querulous screams of the black cockatoo; nor are the inquiring flute-lke notes of 
the mountaim magpie lke the continuous, noisy laughter of the merry laughing jackass, 
or the incessant chattermg of parrots; but to the lyre-bird it is an easy task to 
imitate them all to perfection. 
The lyre-bird seems particularly fond of mocking the strange notes of the coach- 
whip-bird. The long, scarce-audible, sighing note is beautifully produced; then comes 
that sharp, loud crack, echoing all down the gully, which so forcibly reminds one of 
the report of a well-handled coach-whip. 
Like most other birds, the lyre-bird is silent during, certain periods of the day, 
and to those unaccustomed to assign the niunutest causes to the actual presence of the 
bird, the great shady gulhes appear. to be untenanted by any such illustrious vocalist. 
On the other hand, to those conversant with the signs and symbols of the bush, 
there is ample proof of thei presence in localities frequented by them. When strolling 
among the belts of dogwood scrub bordering the creeks, we see the deep black soil 
scratched and furrowed just as the earth in a back-yard is disturbed by domestic 
poultry. Keeping a watchful eye upon the ground as we press aside the cane-like 
scrub and edge our way round the butt of a monstrous forest tree, we shall probably 
be rewarded by finding some of those long graceful feathers and hair-lke appendages, 
which latter constitute so singular a feature in the lyre-bird’s tail. As a matter 
of fact I have seen (apparently perfect) specimens of the birds’ tails which, in reality, 
are a collection of feathers gathered from the lyre-bird haunts and cleverly arranged 
in natural order to deceive the buyer; for, on account of the handsome ornament 
provided in a well set-up tail, there is considerable demand for them. Of late years, 
however, the stricter enforcement of the Protection Act serves to shield the birds 
from wanton slaughter. Should the locality prove to be the true home of the lyre- 
bird, its nest will sooner or later be seen, although—to those uninitiated into the 
ways of these birds—it will not be recognised as such. 
I have sometimes been asked what site the lyre-bird may be considered to favour 
specially, and as a result of long and interested experience I can but reply that the 
lyre-bird is as changeful, and, I almost feel inclined to say, humorous as the little 
jenny-wren of the British Isles in its choice of a nesting-place. 
In Gippsland, among the Angora ranges, Tambo valley, I saw a nest of this bird 
partially protruding from a huge hollow limb some twenty-five feet above the ground. 
It is interesting to know that when a nest is placed in a position some feet above 
terra-firma it is absolutely necessary for the bird to mount the side of the range or 
some well-branched tree before it can hope to reach its nest, for the simple reason 
that lyre-birds cannot rise straight up off the ground in manner like an English 
