THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 345 



that was nearly as easy to shoot as the proverbial flying 

 haystack, which some of the fraternity are nevertheless 

 said to miss occasionally. 



It is considerably like the cassowary in shape and habits, 

 and is rarely correctly delineated, the back, as a rule, being 

 made to slope far too much towards the tail, whereas it is 

 carried horizontally. The neck is long, and the head very 

 flat on the top ; the large expressive eyes are deep hazel, 

 and very soft and liquid ; the bill is flattened, large and 

 black, and the general colour of tlie hair-like plumage is 

 dark gre}'. 



The eggs of this species are of a deep green colour, and 

 are deeply pitted all over with small round depressions ; 

 when mounted in silver they make very pretty cups and 

 ornaments, which will, no doubt, be valuable by and by 

 when the bird that provides them has been improved off" 

 the face of the earth, as it has every prospect of being 

 before long. 



The task of incubation is performed, at least in confine- 

 ment, by the male alone, who collects the eggs that the 

 female drop about anywhere, sits on them with exemplary 

 patience, and takes sole charge of the porcupine-looking 

 young ones as soon as they chip the shell ; whether these 

 birds act in the same manner in tlie wild state is un- 

 certain. , 



We have now come to the end of our allotted task, per- 

 haps somewhat abruptly, certainly with more expedition 

 than we had intended when we began, but circumstances 

 alter cases, it is well-known, and we have had to bow to 

 necessity. ' However, we trust that the various details 

 given, especially in the earlier portions of the work, will 

 prove of interest to readers interested in maintaining the 

 unity of the British Empire — an Empire that, composed as 



