I062 NESTS AND EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



successful hatchmg of au egg of the Emu under a domestic fowl.' It 

 took two fowls to complete the task ; the fii-st fowl, after sitting upon 

 the lai'ge egg for two weeks, became refractory and had to be relieved 

 by another bird. The egg was turned every day, and was hatched at 

 the end of seven weeks. Tliis interesting experiment was made by 

 Mrs. M. Walker, Newtown, Sydney. 



The male bird tatcs the task of incubation, during tlic day at all 

 events. Tliis has been proved by birds being flushed from the nest, 

 run down by dogs, and dissected on the .spot. I imintentionally " aided 

 and abetted ' in this cruel act, but once only. Then I can plead in 

 extenuation that the bird was started accidentally when we were kan- 

 garooing. Hunters invaiiably cudeavom- to keep their houuds off 

 brooding Emus. 



It lias not been proved satisfactorily that the female never sits or 

 never relieves the male at night, but it has been proved she lays at 

 night, or between sunset and sunrise. A hunter, while on the rounds 

 to his traps, tested two nests, examining them every night and morning. 

 He found an egg was deposited every second day between sunset and 

 sunrise, and I can vouch for his statement. However, other observers 

 are at variance on this point. One says, when the Emu commences to 

 lay she deposits an egg every day until the clutch is completed. 

 Another, refening to a pair of birds he watched closely in his private 

 reserve, says : " Tlie laying was commenced and continued for about a 

 month, until there were nine eggs in the nest." 



The male tends the brood of yomig when hatched ; but up to what 

 age f I have seen a female accompanied by the previous season's 

 nearly grown birds. Tliis may be a reason why her lord attends to the 

 current brood, while it is also an argument against any supposition thai 

 she relieves her mate on the nest at night. 



In answer to a query of mine in tJie cohunns of " Tlic Australasian," 

 the following most interesting reply was received from a correspondent 

 in South Gippsland (Victoria), and published in the issue of the 9tli 

 October, 1886 : " The Emu's nest was not in a bush paddock, but in a 

 small rye-grass paddock of about foiu- acres, close to the homestead, 

 such paddock being clear of timber or trees except a few pines and 

 willows, and is enclosed by a paling fence and live hedge. The hatching 

 was completed at the expiration of eight weeks from the time the bird 

 conmienced to sit, but it would depend whether the bird sat very 

 closely or not if the hatching would be completed one or two days 

 before or after the expiration of the eight weeks. There were four 

 young birds brouglit out, of which two, unforUinalely, were drowned 

 shortly after, and the remaining two ;u-e now ahvc and thriving admir- 

 ably. The male bird still takes charge of the young ones, and protects 

 and nestles them, and will not pcnnit-the female or any others of the 

 species to apiiroach them, and he is at times quite fierce in his jealous 

 care of the young. I may say lliat during the term of incubation the 

 female was k(;pt out of the paddock in which the nest is situated for 

 as long as a fortnight at a time, and was occasionally allowed to go in, 

 but she never took any part in the hatcliing process, Tlic male bird, 

 who was watched during the time he was sitting, was not seen to k-avc 



