OCR Text |
Show 1868.] LETTER FROM MR. E. P. RAMSAY. 51 of the nest is 26 inches, height 12, and width 18 inches; the entrance is 5 or 6 inches in diameter, and its lower edge 4\ in thickness. The whole of the interior is lined with feathers, which, being much of the same colour as the egg, help to protect it and hide it from view. All the nests and eggs which I possess, with the exception of one, were procured in the Illawarra district, chiefly from the ravines and gullies in the neighbourhoods of Appin and Wollongong. Occasionally the same nest is used more than once, after being lined afresh with feathers. The eggs are of three varieties at least:- " Var. a, the most common, is of a light stone-grey, with darker-coloured blotches and spots, and a few jet-black dots ; length 2*4 to 2*5 inches by 1*6 to 1*7 in breadth. Other specimens are dull brown, stone-brown, or dark blackish brown, with dull-brown spots and blotches when fresh. " Var. ft is of a reddish-brown colour, with dark blackish-brown spots, and a beautiful blush of pinkish purple over the whole surface. I have only seen one of this very marked variety, 2*35 inches in length by 1*65 in breadth. " Var. y is a most peculiar-looking egg, of a uniform dark metallic blackish brown, having obscure spots and blotches of a darker tint, almost invisible at a short distance ; length 2*5 by 1*7 inches; and, like many of the other specimens, this variety has jet-black lines and dots dispersed over the surface. " The young, which are hatched early in August, but sometimes as late as the end of September, are of a whity-brown colour upon leaving the egg, but become darker as they get older; the crown of the head is covered with long dusky slate-coloured down, which hangs over the neck (which is quite bare) on to the back; the wings have a fringe of shorter down round them, being longest on their lower edge; the upper part of the rump, centre of the back, and the tail are also covered with down, while two rows of short down grow along the thighs. The bare triangular part of the neck is surrounded by a narrow fringe of very short down, while two edges, still shorter and of a light yellow colour, grow on either side of the breast or keel of the sternum. Down on the head from 1^ to 2 inches in length ; on rump and tail it is 2 inches long. Bill '5 inch in length, blackish brown at tip ; tarsi '8 inch in length. "Upon finding that Mr. Gould is wont to consider the South- Australian Lyre-bird to be of a distinct species from that found in New South Wales, I took the earliest opportunity of obtaining South- Australian specimens, and in due time received from Port Phillip six tolerably good skins, which I have now before me, consisting of three adult males, one young male, and two females. Having closely examined and compared these with numerous specimens shot in various parts of N e w South Wales, as well as with a very complete series in m y own collection, I must say that, although not altogether unprepared, I was greatly disappointed to find that Mr. Gould had endeavoured to form a species from such trivial differences as are exhibited in the more defined and deeper-coloured bars of the two outer tail-feathers of some of the Port-Phillip birds. I say some, |