. Egg collecting and bird life of Australia. Catalogue and data of the "Jacaksonian oological collection," illustrated with numerous photographs .. . fact was borne out by my own observations, and probably bymany other naturalists. Then, again, the young bird does not leave the nest for eight or ten weeksafter hatching, which is altogether an abnormal time compared with that similarly employed by otherpoor or non-flying birds ; the habit of the entire family, therefore, is not merely shyness but absolutelysecretiveness, for they are endowed with the gift of noiseless movement, slipping through
. Egg collecting and bird life of Australia. Catalogue and data of the "Jacaksonian oological collection," illustrated with numerous photographs .. . fact was borne out by my own observations, and probably bymany other naturalists. Then, again, the young bird does not leave the nest for eight or ten weeksafter hatching, which is altogether an abnormal time compared with that similarly employed by otherpoor or non-flying birds ; the habit of the entire family, therefore, is not merely shyness but absolutelysecretiveness, for they are endowed with the gift of noiseless movement, slipping through or over theruffle of sticks and leaves without a crack or rustle, while the hunter or observer has to be very quickto get even a glimpse of the bird. They often make some extraordinary jumps, and Prince AlbertsLyre Bird (data No. 576) frequently jumps eight or ten feet from the ground into a convenient branchof a tree, and, like the other two species, it continues to ascend in successive leaps, until it has attaineda sufficient elevation to enable it to fly, or gently float, down into the gully below. 129 THF. lACKSONIAN OOLOCICAL ES m ^ »: C sir -C^ rt -O 3 3OXI \J L- ^- *-,— <« ^ C 3; CO •o T3 ,0 « a 2. - J jT o 2 J 130 IHE JACKSONIAN OOLOGICAI, COLLECTION. Bato Campbells No. ofNo. Book. Egfrs. Ihe ordinary cry of the Lyre Hircl {M. superba) is a whistling che-ock che-ock, though to setdown on paper anything that correctly represents it is practically impossible. Those who know willrecognise the description ; but this cry is frequently followed by a burst of mimicry, in which the notesof all surrounding birds follow with bewildering rapidity and exactness. I often sat and patientlylistened to it giving one of its concerts, and was greatly surprised with the accurate reproductions,especially with those of the Harmonious Thrush and Coach-whip Bird, the clear ringing notes of whichwere simply perfection. Here again the knowing bushman will at once und
Size: 1385px × 1805px
Photo credit: © Reading Room 2020 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookideggcolle, booksubjectbirds
