Physical description

A slim white square hardcover book with text by Harold J. Pollock and a record of Menura the Lyrebird. The cover has the title written at the top - Menura the Lyrebird with a round photograph of a Lyrebird in the bush with its tail fanned. Jacaranda Nature Series is printed in blue at the top right hand corner of the front cover. At the bottom is printed in black lettering - EP RECORD INSIDE FRONT COVER. Inside the left front cover is a pocket with an EP record recorded by Harold J. Pollock. The book has explanations of the sounds recorded as well as coloured photographs of the lyrebirds in their natural habitat. At the back of the book is a list of recordings on each side of the record. The back cover has a black and white photograph of Harold feeding a lyrebird by hand on his knee. A paper card illustrated with a coloured lyrebird on the front with an inscription inside is inserted at the front of the book. 20 pp.

Publication type

non-fiction

Inscriptions & markings

The paper card states inside on the left hand bottom corner: 'To aid: Victorian Association for Mental Health Mental Health Centre, 1 Cookson Street, Camberwell, Vic 3124. Telephone 813 3736 A.H. 813 1180.' On the back is printed 'THE MOUNTAIN PHEASANT (LYREBIRD) From a watercolour 38x29cm (sheet size) in the National Library of Australia. It is inscribed 'R. Browne pinxt. No 27 Philip Street, Sydney New South Wales 18919' Browne was a convict artist of whose career little is known. Lyrebirds (genus Menura) were called pheasants until the 1820s.'

Inside on the right hand side of the card handwritten in black ink: 'Dear Helen If you already have this book it can be easily changed. I don't know where this obviously old stock has come from. As you probably don't have a record player we've put it on to a cassette. Unfortunately the higher and louder sounds are distorted on both the record and the tape. On the tape Side 1 - has sides 1 & 2 of the record. This takes up only 1/2 the tape, the rest is blank. Side 2 - Exactly the same as above, so it doesn't matter which side you play.'

Summary

A book and recording of Menura the Lyrebird. It was recorded in the lyrebirds' natural habitat in the Dandenong Ranges Victoria. The book describes the life of two birds, Theresa and Wanderer with coloured photographs depicting them in the bush.