MENURA. 
119 
the thicker end, a few specks of the same colour are sprinkled 
over the rest of the surface ; the ground colour is white in No. 1; 
it is sprinkled with reddish dots all over the surface, but forming 
a zone at the thicker end.” ( Ramsay , P.L.S., E.S.W., Yol. vii., 
p. 408.) 
Hob. Port Darwin and Port Essington, Gulf of Carpentaria, 
Cape York, Rockingham Bay, Port Denison. (Ramsay.) 
Family MENURIDJE. 
Genus MENURA, Davies. 
MENURA SUPERB A, Davies. 
Lyre-bird. 
Gould, Handbk. Bds. Aust., Yol. i., sp. 179, p. 298. 
“ The nest of this species differs according to the locality 
frequented by the birds:—some being constructed of rough 
material, such as large sticks, stringy bark (Eucalyptus obliqua) 
and dead ferns (Eteris aquifina); others of very fine rootlets and 
pieces of Hymenophyllum lunbridgense, which makes a remarkably 
neat nest. Braisher, the most successful of my collectors, who also 
procured the young birds, called upon me a few days ago with 
some of the eggs, when I took the opportunity of getting all the 
particulars respecting the nidification. I find that in no instance 
did he meet with more than one egg or one young bird in the same 
nest. The birds commence to build in May, and lay their eggs 
in June and July. The female is not fed by the male while she 
is sitting, nor has the male bird ever been observed near the 
place after she has laid her egg. The female frequently leaves 
her egg during the middle of the day to search for food. This 
may account for the length of time taken in the hatching, which 
sometimes extends over a month. The young do not leave the 
nest until they are eight or ten weeks old. When one is standing 
