LYRE-BIRD, 7 
Lyre-Birp—Menura snperba, 
Discovery.—Iin Collins’ Account of the English colony in New 
South Wales, the author, writing of a journey to the westward in 
February, 1798, by three persons who had been sent out to discover 
a country wherein they might live more at their ease, says: ‘“‘ They 
returned on the 9th, having travelled south-west from Parramatta 
about 140 miles. They brought in with them one of the birds, 
which they had named pheasants, but which, on examination, 
appeared to be a variety of the bird of paradise.” 
Description.—In size the lyre-bird may be compared with a 
pheasant. The general plumage is brown, The secondary wing- 
feathers nearest the body, and the outer webs of the remainder are 
rich rufous brown; the upper tail-coverts are tinged with rufous ; 
the chin and front of the throat are rufous, which is much richer 
during the breeding season. All the under surface is a brownish 
ash-colour. The upper surface of the tail is blackish brown, the 
under surface is silvery grey, becoming very dark on the external 
web of the outer feather ; the inner webs of these feathers are fine 
rufous, crossed by numerous bands, which at first appear of a darker 
tint, but, on close inspection, prove to be perfectly transparent. 
The margin of the inner web of the two lyre feathers and their tips 
are black. The tail of the male bird is about two feet in length, 
and formed of some beautiful feathers ; two of which are the prin- 
cipal, having the interior sides seemingly scalloped. These two 
feathers cross each other at the volition of the bird. Two other 
feathers of equal length, and of a bluish or lead colour, are within 
these, they are very narrow, and have fibres on only one side of the 
stem. Twelve feathers are within these of a pale grey colour below 
and of the most delicate texture; they diverge in a fan-like form. 
The tail bears a striking resemblance, in its graceful form, to the 
shape of the lyre of the Greeks; from this circumstance the bird 
received the name of the lyre-bird of Australia. The female differs 
in wanting the singularly formed tail, and in having the bare space 
round the eye smaller, and less brilliantly coloured. A bunch of 
dark feathers constitutes her tail, having the appearance of being 
a rudimentary form of that of the other sex. The bill and the 
nostrils are black ; the irides blackish brown. The legs and feet 
are black, the scales on them being mealy. The feet and claws are 
large. : 
E Habits.—It has extraordinary ‘powers of running, but its power 
of flight is feeble. The tail is carried horizontally when the bird is 
running through the scrub. Its large feet enable it to pass with 
ease over loose stones, and the sides of rocky gullies and ravines. 
It has been stated that this bird can spring ten feet perpendicularly 
from the ground. It is very shy and distrustful, hence difficult to 
procure. The cracking of a stick, or the rolling of a stone, is 
sufficient to alarm it. It may sometimes be approached in the more 
accessible scrub by a man on horseback, it having less fear of 
animals than of man. The early morning and the evening are the 
