THE Lyre Bird finds in the south-eastern portion of Aus

Eaterad according to Act of Congress, in the year 1870, by the PEABODY ACADEMY OF SCIENCE, in the Clerk's Office of the District

Cour of the District of Massachusetts.

AMER. NATURALIST, VOL. IV.

41

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tralia a region peculiarly adapted to its nature. At a variable distance from the sea rises a range of mountains, the swell of which is undulating rather than precipitous, while the summits expand into immense open downs and grassy plains. These are studded with belts and forests of trees, and appear like a succession of vast parks. As the hills and plateaus sink into the cup-like depression of the interior, marshy grounds alternate with parched and sterile barrens; but seaward, the soil is of almost inconceivable richness. Here, a tropical luxuriance prevails. Forests of immense, ever verdant, blooming trees, are broken by rich meadow-like districts admirably suited to grazing purposes. Indeed, the country as described, is so charming, that it might be considered almost a Paradise were it not for the intense heat of summer, increased, as it is, by the hot dry winds which blow southward from more northerly regions. Parching droughts are succeeded by torrents of rain, which, collecting on the hills and plains, and advancing through their streamlets, pour in swollen floods down the mountain sides to the sea, carrying destruction on every hand. Thus are the seaward slopes washed into gullies and ravines, which are left obstructed by fallen trees and branches. Over these active nature soon spreads a mantle of greenness and bloom, by means of rapidly growing creeping vines, forming almost inaccessible fastnesses. In these secluded haunts the Lyre Bird hides itself from the gaze of man. It is found over a large extent of country, but is peculiar to the mountain districts of Australia, and especially to those on the southeastern face of the continent. Two species are known; one, Menura superba, the well-known Lyre Bird, the other a closely allied species, Menura Albertii.

Australia is a country of wonders, where even the leaves of the trees are so disposed that they present but little surface to the scorching sun, and, consequently, are almost valueless for shade; and where, both in the vegetable and animal world, are curious forms existing nowhere else on the globe.

Here is a rich display of birds with gorgeous plumage, and here also are found many remarkable only for their unlikeness to all others. Among the latter is a family, the members of which, with their peculiarly large feet, scratch up grass, herbage, and soil, and throwing these backward, in concentric circles, finally raise a mound which forms a veritable hot-bed. In this they deposit their eggs, and the heat engendered by the decaying vegetable matter quickens the life-germ, as in ordinary hatching does the warm body of the brooding mother.

What is especially curious is that the Lyre Bird, while incubating its eggs in the method common to birds, has a similar habit of raising mounds which it devotes to a wholly different purpose. These elevations seem to be intended as orchestras for the display of musical powers, and both morning and evening they betake themselves thither, frequently while they whistle, sing, or imitate the notes of other birds, raising and spreading their tails with all the pride of the peacock. M. Isidore Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, refers both the Lyre Birds and the "Mound Builders" to one family, that of the Megapodidae, or the Great Feet. It is by no means wonderful that this thought should have suggested itself to the mind of the learned naturalist, for there certainly is, in several respects, a striking similarity between the Lyre Bird and the Megapodes, a resemblance so strong as to be perceived even by the casual observer. But this similarity seems capable of explanation on other grounds than those of a family relationship, nor need we even suppose that the birds in question belong to the same order.

The Lyre Bird has been known for more than half a century, but possibly, our fullest information is derived from the English naturalist, Gould, who, with his wife, travelled in Australia for the purpose of ornithological investigation more than twenty years ago, and who since has, from time to time by his correspondence, obtained facts of much importance to ornithological science. To his pen, and to her

almost magic pencil, we are largely indebted for our knowledge of Australian birds. The pictures of both artists are so life-like that we might well be pardoned for forgetting that we had never heard the music of their songsters, nor beheld the flowering vine where it grew.

The whole collection of birds, forming the originals of Gould's "Birds of Australia," was purchased by Dr. Thomas B. Wilson and presented to the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia, -a gift to a noble institution of his native city, in which America has reason to rejoice. In this collection, along with other specimens of the Lyre Bird, may be seen that which furnished the half size illustration of Gould. It is somewhat faded by time, but otherwise is in a good state of preservation. From this bird our artist has given the cut heading the present article.

The bird is about the size of the common fowl. Its general plumage is of a dull leaden, or chocolate brown color,

Fig. 80.

brightened on the wings, chin and front part of the throat with a reddish tinge, which is much richer during the mating season. The peculiar beauty of the bird, however, lies in its tail, which is in perfection only four or five months of the year. This appendage consists of sixteen feathers, twelve of which, as seen in the engraving, are furnished with loose, slender and flowing barbs, which are so distant from each other that their effect is that of a background of light and elegant tracery. Figure 80 shows a section from one of these feathers, the barbs, many of which are seven inches in length, having been cut away on either side of the central stem. Four of these feathers are of a closer texture near the base where firmness is required. The two unpliant middle feathers are,

Section from loosely barbed Feather, natural size.

on the outside, destitute of barbs, except a slight fringe near the termination. On the inner side there is a narrow

vane gently expanding to a little more than half an inch at the widest part, but contracting towards the end. These feathers bend on either side over the delicate tracery, heightening its effect by their decided lines, as best seen in fig. 79. Figure 81 presents two sections, a from the terminal curve, and b from the middle. of one of these rigid feathers.

But that which gives character to the whole is the arrangement of the external feathers. These curve in such a manner that the two together

Fig. 82.

a

Fig. 81.

b

Two sections, natural size, a from terminal curve; b from middle portion of one of the central, rigid feathers.

form the outline of an ancient lyre, an appearance so striking as to confer on the birds their popular name. These two feathers contrast with the middle ones by presenting vanes, wide on the inner side, on the whole length of the shaft. These vanes, are apparently frilled, but this singular effect exhibited at a in figure 82, which is a section, half size, from one of the exterior feathers, is produced by an alternate omission of barbules on the barb, as seen at b, fig. 82, which is a single barb. As the barbs are seen edgewise, they present, in the naked spaces, the appearance of transparency, and are usually so described. The microscope, however, proves that in these portions the barbs are not These two outer feathers are of one or

a, Section, half-size, from one of the external feathers; b, single barb.

devoid of color.

more shades of brown and ash color, lighter than the general