I060 NESTS AND EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



Parliamcuts, aud especially the people, aid in its protection. It has 

 boon for many years extinct in Tasmania and Kangaroo Island. The 

 State of Victoria, where comparatively few Emus now remain, will soon 

 rank with those islands. For what few birds do remain, perpetual 

 protection to them and their progeny might rightly be demanded. 

 The meagre protection existing in that State is faulty, inasmuch as the 

 close season for Emus only commences on the 14th June in each year, 

 whereas some of the birds lay in April and May.* In the neighbouring 

 State of New South Wales, Emus are protected absolutely for periods 

 of five years. However, the law there is almost a dead letter, and, as 

 I myself have witnessed, is more honoured in the breach than in the 

 observance. 



Gould's far-seeing remarks should be written in capital letters: — 

 " And now a word to Australians, particvilarly to those who arc interest- 

 ing themselves about acclimatising animals (sparrows and rabbits, and 

 such like vermin, may I add) from other countries — wishing for tilings 

 they have not, and neglecting those they possess. ... I must 

 content myself by praying that protection may be offered to that noble 

 bird, the Emu. . . . How much will the loss of this fine bird be 

 regi-etted by every right-minded person who claims Australia as his 

 fatherland ! " 



In addition to many notes supplied to me by friends favourably 

 situated, I made a special but albeit brief excursion diiring the breeding 

 season of 1895 into the Wakool district of Riverina to gather 

 information personally with regard to the Emu. I was fortunately 

 favoured with an in\'itation to stay at " Strathdon," the fann of my 

 friend Mr. Neil Macaulay (in fact, to Neil and his brothers I have been 

 indebted on different occasions for infonnation as well as for specimens), 

 which is situated in the midst of the best Emu country ; and I was still 

 further fortunate in falling in with a professional Emu-eggers' camp, 

 pitched, by permission, within one of Mr. Macaulay's paddocks. I went 

 hunting with these Emu-eggers (there were four in camp) and " caught 

 on " much of their experiences gained during the last three seasons ; 

 some of their information, being either confirmatory of what was 

 already known or being altogether original, was exceedingly valuable 

 to me. 



A few of the earlier breeders lay towards the end of April or after 

 the autumnal rains, some in May, while the majoritv have laid by 

 June or Julv, the young appearing during August and September. Of 

 course, eggs may be seen as late as August, but on account of the 

 lengthened incubation needed, they may have been deposited weeks 

 previously. The hvmters informed me the first voung noticed by them 

 that season (1895) was at the end of June. Mr. Murdoch Macaulay. 

 to whose kindness I am indebted for a speciallv selected set of eggs, 

 informs me in the season of 1891 the Emus did not commence to lay 

 till the middle of May. Tlie laying period is much regulated by the 

 rainy season of the year, and they do not lay. or only do so in small 

 proportions, when the seasons are droughty or bad. 



* Since the above wis written the Emu has been protected for the whole year. 



