2 6 A. J. Campbell, Emu Eggs. [isf July 



found or had the opportunity of examining myself in the open, 

 This nest was most picturesquely situated, protected in front by 

 some dead weatherbeaten branches. Close behind was a small 

 dry box-tree (eucalypt) standing with green suckers sprouting 

 from its base. The nest was simply a flat bed (about 4 feet 

 in length by 2)4 feet in breadth, and 2 inches in thickness) 

 composed of dead leaves, grass, and a few feathers of the bird, 

 but chiefly eucalypt leaves, evidently plucked from the branchlets 

 immediately above. What a subdued setting for the circle of 

 eggs of matchless green ! There were eight, and a fractured 

 shell. Total, nine, an average clutch. 



I think I have somewhere already mentioned that the day 

 will come when the exportation of Emu eggs for commercial 

 purposes will be prohibited. Having due regard for the proper 

 protection of this noble, ornamental, and purely Australian 

 bird, is the time not now ripe for legislation ? More national 

 work ahead for the Australasian Ornithologists' Union. There 

 has always been a demand for Emu egg-shells in the great 

 market of the world — London — where thousands of eggs are 

 yearly sent. It is stated on the authority of a Sydney news- 

 paper that in one season a single station hand in Queensland 

 gathered no less than 1,123 Emu eggs, which realized in the 

 local market 12s. per dozen. The majority, no doubt, found 

 their way to London, where they would be worth 5s. or 6s. each. 



A Young King Penguin at the Melbourne Zoo. 



By D. Le Souef, C.M.Z.S., &c. 



A SPECIMEN of this interesting species [Aptenodytes patagonicd), 

 about six months old, was secured by Captain Douglas, of the 

 s.s. Damascus, when visiting the Crozet Islands in the southern 

 seas in search of some supposed castaways. The bird is covered 

 with very dense soft down, of a dark greyish-brown. The beak 

 is black, and measures 3 inches in length from the gape and 

 2 inches from the forehead. The tongue is very curious, being 

 white in colour and almost round, and on the upper surface has 

 three rows from near the point and four rows from half-way 

 down of soft white spines, inclining backwards, and they extend 

 to the back of the entrance to the windpipe. The tongue is 

 .25 inch in thickness, and the spines the same length. The sides 

 of the roof of the mouth have also serrations about the same 

 size, and a row of serrations on each inner side of the lower 

 beak, so that when the tongue is pressed down the rows of 

 serrations are in contact with it on each side. Those towards 

 the front are white, but the hinder ones darker. The length of 

 wing is II inches, and length of the leg from the thigh joint 



