The Living Animals of the World, Volume II: Birds, Reptiles and Amphibians, Fishes, Jointed Animals, Molluscs, etc.

Photo by D. Le Souef] [Melbourne. ance with the rest of the bare, coloured skin of NEST AND EGGS OP EMEU. this region. Then, too, they have effected quite was whichThe feet of the old bird, standing near, can be seen a novel transformation in the quills of the wing, the behind eggs. for these project on either side of the body in a is this all, for over and above the energy which theyseries of shining black spines. Nor have to spare for personal decoration is a very large reserve to be expended in fighting. The males are very pugnacious, and to give point to this pugnacity they wear a very formidable weapon on the inner toe in the shape of a huge nail, which can inflict a really dangerous wound. It is used in kicking, the foot being brought forwards and downwards with incredible speed and great force. When wounded, these powerful birds are very dangerous " On more than one occasion a wounded bird has caused a naturalist to taketo approach. to a tree. The sharp nail of the inner toe is a most dangerous weapon, quite equal to the claw of a large kangaroo, and capable of doing quite as much execution."

Although forest-haunting birds wherein they differ from their allies, which are plain-dwellers the cassowaries are adepts at swimming. There is a danger that these beautiful and interesting birds will slowly be exterminated by greedy and thoughtless settlers. The Australian cassowary is already decreasing sadly, being persecuted for the sake of its skin, which is used for rugs and doormats. The EMEU, though a sort of cousin of the cassowary, boasts none of its splendour; on the contrary, it is a dull, dowdy-looking bird. In size, however, it is much larger than the cassowary. The wings, which are exceedingly small, have numerous tiny quill-feathers not long, it exhibits great curiosity; furthermore,hard spines, as in the cassowary. When in captivity, it is swift to realise symptoms of fear it in the faces of any visitor whom may have under inspection. Occasionally fear turns into flight, and then, thoroughly entering into the joke, the emeu pursues at top speed. Needless to say, hunting of this kind can only be done in fairly large paddocks or parks; but emeus are frequently so kept. A very remarkable and quite is a unique structure in the emeu curious bag or pouch, formed by a sort of out-pocketing of the inner lining of the windpipe. Emerging Photo by D. Le Souef] [Melbourne. YOUNG EMEUS FIVE DAYS OLD. through a long slit caused by the rings Young emeus.just out of the shell have the legs beautifully spotted, but these spots incompleteness of some of the are rapidly lost. near the middle of the windpipe, the

The Ostrich and its Kindred 395

pouch comes to lie between this tube and the skin. Strangely enough, it is found only in the female, and is used by her chiefly during the breeding-season, when she utters a peculiarly loud booming note, which, it is supposed, is caused by the manipulation of the air in the pouch. When moved by any gentle excitement or pleasure, especially on damp evenings or in the dead of night, she also becomes musical, giving forth a note which has been likened to a gong or muffled drum. The male, which is smaller, fleeter of foot, and

Photo by Scholastic Photo. Co.] [Parson's Green. more docile and inquisitive, is mute, YOUNG EMEUS. or at most gives forth a suppressed

After a few weeks the black and white stripes become much less conspicuous. hiss when angry, or a kind of grunt when distressed.

! At one time the emeu roamed over the whole of the mainland of Australia; but now, alas it is almost exterminated, being found only far inland and in steadily diminishing numbers. " "Swift of foot and of great powers of endurance, the emeu has afforded in the past much sport to the hunting-man, who followed the dogs, doubtless making comparisons the while between his two-legged prey and his four-footed friend Eeynard. The hunt does not end till the bird is thoroughly exhausted, when it must be seized at once by the neck, in order to prevent it kicking, for the legs are so powerful that a blow from the foot is dangerous.

Incubation is apparently performed by the male, which sits from fifty-four to sixty-four days. Practically no nest is made, only a shallow hollow being scraped in the sand. The eggs, from seven to thirteen in number, are of a dark bottle-green colour, sometimes lighter, and have the surfaces curiously roughened. The male is smaller than the female, a fact which has led to some confusion, the larger female having at one time been regarded as the male. It will be noted that the emeus not only lack the brilliant colour of the cassowaries, but also the helmet, or casque.

The late Mr. Gould's remarks on the edibility of the emeu are inter- : " Its flesh has beenesting. He says compared to coarse beef, which it resembles, according to Mr. Cunningham, Photo by J. T. Newman} [Berkhamsted. EMEU. both in appearance and taste, and is The feathers of the neck of the emeu are much longer than in the rhea; hence shorter.good and sweet eating; nothing, indeed. the neck seems

can be more delicate than the flesh of the young ones. There is little fit for culinary use upon any part of the emu, except the hindquarters, which are of such dimensions that the shouldering of the two hind legs homeward for a mile distance once proved to me as tiresome a task as I ever recollect to have encountered in the colony. I may remark that its flesh proved of the greatest service to Dr. Leich-ardt and his intrepid companions during their overland route from Moreton Bay to Port Essington, in the course of which, but more particularly between the head of the Gulf of Carpentaria and Port Essington, the sight and capture of the emu was almost a daily occurrence; so abundant, in fact, was it, that

he states that he saw in the short space of eight miles at least a hundred, in flocks of three, five, ten, and even more at

a time. On the continent of Australia the emu was formerly abundant about Botany Bay and Port Jackson Harbour, but is now only to be seen in the plains of the interior, over whose solitudes it roams in great numbers, and where it breeds, depending on the strength and swiftness of its legs to avoid the pursuit of the stockmen and their dogs. Farther and farther back, however, will it be driven, until it be extirpated, unless some law be instituted to check its wanton destruction.”

In a wild state emeus take readily to the water, and have on more than one occasion been seen swimming across a wide river. The South American rhea is also known to be a good swimmer.

The COMMON EMEU is restricted to Eastern Australia. The opposite side of this great continent is inhabited by another and very distinct species, known as the SPOTTED EMEU.

THE APTERYX.

To see the APTERYX at home, we should have to travel to far New Zealand, and to hunt with infinite patience when we got there. Apteryx-hunting, it has been found, to be successful, must be done by the help of dogs. Sir Walter Buller has written some very spirited accounts of such hunts. Europeans, indeed, have been singularly successful in this hunting, whereby they have done much to enhance the value of this bird by hastening its fast approaching and inevitable extermination.

The natives call this bird the KIWI, from its call-note, “ki-i-wi.” These cries are uttered during the early hours of the night, ceasing after midnight. They appear to have great penetrating power.

Photo by Robert D. Carson, Esq.] [Philadelphia.

MANTELL’S KIWI, NEW ZEALAND, NORTH ISLAND.

When feeding, the kiwi makes a sniffing sound, distinctly audible at some distance.

Photo by Robert D. Carson, Esq.] [Philadelphia.

OWEN’S KIWI, NEW ZEALAND, SOUTH ISLAND.

This is the smallest of the kiwis.

CHAPTER II.

THE GAME-BIRDS AND RAILS.

is not easy in a few words exactly to define a " game-bird." Anatomical details aside, the most characteristic features are the small head and moderately long neck, and aIT compact body, in which the wings, when folded, are almost entirely concealed. The hind toe is always present, and the claws are adapted for scratching purposes that is to say, for scratching up the surface of the ground in the search for seeds as food. The wings are hollowed so as to fit close to the body, and the flight, which is noisy and never long-sustained, is nevertheless often exceedingly rapid. The young are hatched covered with down, and able to run in a few hours after birth.

Photo by C. Reid] [ Wiihaw, N.B.

BED GROUSE.

This is one of the species in which the toes are feathered.

GrROUSE AND PTARMIGAN.

The birds of this group are distinguished by the feathery covering which clothes the feet. In some grouse, however, the toes are bare. This causes them to resemble the Pheasant group, from which they may be distinguished by the fact that the toes are fringed with horny processes forming a sort of comb. 397

} The Rep Grouse is the only game-bird which

[ is not found outside the British Islands. It is the bird which perhaps heads the list in the estimation of British sportsmen, who travel north in hundreds every year for the pleasure of the sport it affords. It is furthermore remarkable for the wonderful variety of the seasonal plumages. Both sexes change their dress twice during the year—the female in spring and summer, and the male in autumn and winter. Its Continental relative, the Ryper, has no Iess than three changes—spring, summer, and winter. For the last season a white dress is adopted, to correspond with its snowy surroundings. The winters in the British Islands are neither li omen og enough nor severe ; ae enough Photo by W. F. Piggott) 5 to render PTARMIGAN. Siuee ah a. In winter these birds don a snow-white livery. chan ge necessary with the red grouse, which is sufficiently protected by its ordinary dress. The largest and perhaps the most interesting of all the European game-birds are the CAPERCALLIES, or CAPER- CAILZIES, AN Jie ©) British. species is also ) pe): ‘* ne known as Photo by W. F. Piggott} [Leighton Buzzard, the Cock- CAPERCALLIE. uh This was once a common British bird. The present breed OF TiD= vas i was introduced some years ago, the native birds having woop. He been exterminated. is a handsome black bird, nearly as big as a turkey, weighing from 9 to 17 lbs. In the spring the capercallie, like the blackcock, indulges in a remarkable “love-song,” or “play,” as it is called. With outstretched neck, tail expanded like a fan, drooping wings, and ruffled feathers, he commences his call, “ peller, peller, peller,” increasing in rapidity every moment, till he works himself up into a perfect frenzy. At this time he is perfectly .; unconscious of all around him, and poachers, knowing La Se ae this, sometimes take advantage to creep up and BNR R EOL Lanett, shoot him. On hearing the cock, the hens assemble Ser Rees from all parts of the forest. The male then descends This is the commoner and more esteemed of the two species of 5 British partridges, from the tree to the ground, when “he and his