It is much to be regretted that human beings are so eager to destroy, even to extermination, the races of animals useful or dangerous, which may be found in a new country. In the settled parts of the colony, the harmless kangaroos and emus are rarely seen, when they might easily be domesticated about the habitations. The same remark applies to the lyre pheasant. Why are they not domesticated, before, by extermination, they are lost to us for ever? The Lyre pheasant is a bird of heavy flight, but swift of foot. On catching a glimpse of the sportsman, it runs with rapidity; aided by the wings in getting over logs of wood, rocks, or any obstruction to its progress, it seldom flies into trees, except to roost, and then rises only from branch to branch: they build in old hollow trunks of trees, which are lying upon the ground, or in the holes of rocks; the nest is formed merely of dried grass, or dried leaves, scraped together; the female lays from twelve to sixteen eggs of a white colour, with a few scattered light blue spots; the young are difficult to catch, as they run with rapidity, concealing themselves among the rocks and bushes. The “Lyre pheasant” on descending from high trees, on which it perches, has been seen to fly some distance; it is more often observed during the early hours of the morning, and in the evenings, than during the heat of the day. Like all the gallinaceous tribe, it scratches about the ground and roots of trees, to pick up seeds, insects, &c. The aborigines decorate their greasy locks, in addition to the emu feathers, with the splendid tail-feathers of this bird when they can procure them. The station of “Been” is situated on an extensive plain, or flat; is very wet during the winter season, from the flooded state of the Tumat river and adjoining creek; the soil, however, is not usually swampy. The river running down one part of the estate, and the “Been” or “Gheek” flowing down in another direction, (emptying itself into the Tumat,) gives the flat a heart-shaped form. It is surrounded by lofty mountains, small fertile flats and thinly-wooded ranges, abounding in rich pasturage. Nature has made it a beautiful spot, and it is capable of much improvement from the labour of man. The aborigines, among the tribes in this part of the colony, having found out that by killing the cattle of the settlers, they can procure a larger supply of food with less trouble than by hunting, have commenced spearing cattle; it was this which formerly led to the sanguinary skirmishes with the Bathurst natives, the stock-keepers shooting the blacks, and they, in return, murdering any Europeans who fell in their way, the lives lost on both sides were numerous.