48 BIRDS OP AUSTRALIA. 



vouching for its truth, I may remark that the testimony of the 

 natives from whom it was derived may generally be relied upon. 



" The natives, Mr. Drummond, and his. son Mr. Johnson 

 Drummond tell me," says Mr. Gilbert, " that this bird is so 

 bold, that upon discovering an Emu sitting on her eggs it will 

 attack her with great ferocity until it succeeds in driving her 

 from the nest, when, the eggs being the attraction, it takes 

 up a stone with its feet, and while hovering over the nest 

 lets it fall upon and crush them, and then descends and 

 devours their contents. I have had numerous opportunities 

 of observing the bird myself, and can bear testimony to its 

 great powers of scent or vision ; for upon several occasions, 

 when the natives had placed a small kangaroo or kangaroo 

 rat in the fork of a tree or on the top of a Xanthorrhcea with 

 the intention of taking it again on our return, we have found 

 that the Black-breasted Buzzard had discovered, and during 

 our short absence had devoured every part of it except the 

 skin, which was left so perfect, that at first I could not believe 

 it had not been done by the hand of man." 



The sexes are alike in colouring, but present the usual differ- 

 ence in size, the male being the smallest. 



Crown of the head, face, chin, chest, and centre of the ab- 

 domen deep black, passing into chestnut-red on the flanks, 

 thighs, and under tail-coverts ; back of the head chestnut-red, 

 becoming black in the centre of each feather; shoulders 

 whitish buff; all the upper surface deep brownish black, mar- 

 gined with chestnut-red ; primaries white at the base, deep 

 black for the remainder of their length ; cere and base of the 

 bill purplish flesh-colour, passing into black at the tip ; irides 

 wood-brown ; feet white, tinged with lilac. 



I may remark that specimens of this bird are much re- 

 quired by the museums of Europe ; it is to be wished also 

 that persons favourably situated would ascertain if the story 

 of the birds breaking the eggs of the Emu be correct, or if it 

 be one of the numerous myths of the Aborigines. 



