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Show 688 MR. BARTLETT ON THE HABITS OF THE LYRE-BIRD. [June 27, The following papers were read: - 1. Notes on the Habits of the Lyre-bird in Captivity. B y A. D. B A R T L E T T , Superintendent of the Society's Gardens. On the 9th of April last, the Society acquired a fine example of the Lyre-bird (Menura superba). It was a young bird, having been reared from the nest, and was consequently in immature plumage; we therefore were unable to determine its sex. This bird, considering its size, is perhaps the most active and quickest-moving bird known; its large and powerful legs and feet enable it to run with amazing swiftness ; it also jumps or hops not only with great rapidity, but to almost incredible distances. These facts have been repeatedly stated by persons who have seen the bird in its native haunts ; and its shy and wary habits have been frequently described. Notwithstanding the well-known wildness of the species when at liberty, the individual now under consideration is most remarkable for its tameness; it will come readily to the call of the keeper and perch upon his hand or arm, and in the most gentle manner search his hand or anythiug he may hold in it for food. In doing this it exhibits a great amount of inquisitiveness and intelligence; if the closed hand is held near the ground the bird will grasp it with its foot, and in a very quiet way try to open it in order to obtain what may be held in the hand. The bird runs or hops upon the ground or upon the perches with equal ease; that is, it runs along the perches that are horizontal. It scratches on the ground, using the right and left foot alternately, grasping the clods of earth and pulling them over, examining the roots and underparts most minutely for the smallest seeds or insects. The strength of the legs and feet will be better understood from the fact that the bird will drag about large clods of peat, earth, and roots upwards of 7 lb. weight. This I have ascertained by weighing the lumps of earth after the bird had so moved them. Unlike the gallinaceous birds, the Lyre-bird washes freely, and has never been seen to dust itself. It has a loud and fine voice ; and, although I cannot say I have heard its song, the keepers, upon whose veracity I can place every confidence, assure m e that the bird has frequently sung ; and its notes are described to resemble those of a Thrush or a Blackbird in the commencement, but gradually become much louder. Its food consists of finely chopped meat mixed with a small quantity of bruised hempseed, earthworms, mealworms, ants' eggs, and grasshoppers, together with a small quantity of canary and millet seed. Like most insect-eating birds, the Lyre-bird throws up the pellets, usually called castings, of the indigestible portion of its food, such as the wing-cases and legs of beetles and other insects. Laving made myself tolerably well acquainted with the habits of this bird since its arrival in the Gardens, I feel inclined to offer an opinion with reference to its affinities; and in so doing I beg to refer to the habits as noticed in No. 45, vol. ii. of ' Land and Water,' in |
