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ALBERTS LYRE-BIRD. 
The same writer, in a recent communication to the Zoological Society, mentions the 6 is - 
co very of a nest of the Lyre-bird, containing a nearly adult young bird of sixteen inches in 
height. In spite of its large size, it was a most helpless creature, and seemed to be quite 
incapable of escape, even with the assistance of its mother, who with devoted courage tried to 
withdraw it from its enemies, and laid down her life in the attempt. 
The young Lyre-bird displayed no fear of its captors, but was easily induced to follow 
any one when allured by the imitation of the mother’s cry. It fed well, its chief articles of 
diet being worms, ants, and their larvae. For water it seemed to care but little, and seldom, if 
ever, was seen engaged in drinking. Although tended with great care, and its wants well 
supplied, this interesting captive died within eight days after it was taken. Dr. Bennett 
remarks of the young Lyre-bird, that when it is able to leave the nest it is very swift of foot, 
and as it instinctively conceals itself under rocks and among the densest thickets, its capture 
is a difficult task even for a native. 
Of the adult bird, the same writer speaks as follows : — 
“ 1 saw these birds in the mountain range of the Tumat country ; lately they have 
been very abundant among the Blue Mountain ranges bordering on the Nepean river, above 
Emeu Plains (about thirty-five miles from Sydney). They are remarkably shy, very difficult 
of approach, frequenting the most inaccessible rocks and gullies, and on the slightest disturb- 
ance they dart off with surprising swiftness through the brakes, carrying their tail horizon- 
tally ; but this appears to be for facilitating their passage through the bushes, for when they 
leap or spring from branch to branch as they ascend or descend a tree, the tail approaches to 
the perpendicular. On watching them from an elevated position, playing in a gully below, 
they are seen to form little hillocks or mounds, by scratching up the ground around them, 
trampling and running flightily about, uttering their loud shrill calls, and imitating the notes 
of various birds.” 
The nest of the Lyre-bird is a large, loosely-built, domed structure, composed of small 
sticks, roots, and leaves, and of an oven-like shape, the entrance being in front. The lining is 
warm and soft, being composed of downy feathers. 
The egg of this singular bird is quite as curious as its general form, and presents the 
curious anomaly of an egg as large as that of a common fowl, possessing all the characteristics 
of the insessorial egg. The general color of the egg is a deep chocolate tint, marked with 
purple more or less deep in different specimens, and its surface is covered with a number of 
stains and blotches of a darker hue, which are gathered towards the larger end, as is usual in 
spotted eggs. 
Another species of Lyre-bird has been discovered, which is called Albert’s Lyre-bird 
( Menura alberti ), in compliment to the Prince Consort. This species may be known by the 
comparative shortness of the lyre-shaped tail-feathers, and the absence of dark bars upon 
the web. 
Dr. Stephenson, in speaking of this bird, says : — 
“The locality it frequents consists of mountain ridges, not very densely covered with 
brush ; it passes most of its time on the ground, feeding and strutting about with the tail 
reflected over the back to within an inch or two of the head, and with the wings drooping on 
the ground. Each bird forms for itself three or four ‘corroboring places,’ as the sawyers 
call them ; they consist of holes scratched in the sandy ground, about two and a half feet in 
diameter, by sixteen, eighteen, or twenty inches in depth, and about three or four hundred 
yards apart, or even more. 
‘ ‘ Whenever you get sight of the bird, which can only be done with the greatest caution 
and by taking advantage of intervening objects to shelter yourself from its observation, you 
will find it in one or other of these holes, into which it frequently jumps and seems to be feed- 
ing ; then ascends again and struts round and round the place, imitating with its powerful 
musical voice any bird that it may chance to hear around it. The notes of the Daeelo gigontea , 
or laughing jackass, it imitates to perfection ; its own whistle is exceedingly beautiful and 
varied. No sooner does it perceive an intruder, than it flies up into the nearest tree, first 
