THE LYEE-BIKD 



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crustaceans, beetles, and snails on which they feed. The. Lyre- 

 bird is our most wonderful songster. Its own notes are peculiarly 

 liquid and melodious, but not content with these it delights to 

 reproduce the notes and calls of its neighbours and to mimic 

 any sounds it may hear in the bush. When singing the bird can 

 be approached with more ease, as it becomes less on the alert as 

 it pours forth its soul in song. Then you may listen to a pro- 

 gramme of many items, and did you not know that the solitary 

 performer was before you, you would marvel at the number of 



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Victoria Lyre-bird: Menura victoriae. 



diiferent birds taking part in the concert. The laugh of the 

 Great Brown Kingfisher, the Kookaburra, is imitated to perfec- 

 tion ; then may follow the feeding call or the scream of a Parrot ; 

 then the full rich notes of the Thrush; and so on one after 

 another you will hear all the local birds. Thrown in, perhaps as 

 comic items, the bird will give you the rap of the hammer as the 

 settler is driving in his nails, or the hum and buzz of a circular 

 saw, or the steam whistle for knocking off work ; or even the bark 

 of a dog, the howl of the Dingo and the crow of a cock. 



