THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 167 



build their nests and enliven the scene. This was just such a one. 

 For five days I hunted through a good deal of hilly country, and 

 this one spot was the only charming one I met — that is to say, 

 the only delightful one to the ornithologist. I could have 

 enjoyed many plant studies, but a rapid traveller must con- 

 centrate his efforts. I saw above me a nest of the monarch-like 

 bird, the White-bellied Sea Eagle, and beneath it scores of 

 Honey-eaters, Thickheads, Robins, and Western Finches. It 

 was an " oasis," and I looked for more without success. 



Three miles east of Denmark (the property of Messrs. Millar 

 Bros.), on the "black-boy" (Xanthorrhoea) fringe of the town, a 

 pair of Emus was seen. Why they should show a preference 

 for this sodden class of country I cannot say, but such they did, 

 because for months past they had been seen near the private 

 railway line. They were at least thirty miles inland from the 

 border of the rainy block. With the winter they would need to 

 be wading birds in the sodden land and saturated undergrowth. 

 Emus can swim rivers if necessary, so there would be no im- 

 pediment on that account. A curious incident in the domesti- 

 cated habits of this bird occurred under the notice of Mr. Price 

 Fletcher, who described it to me in the following terms: — "A 

 little three-year-old child was trailing a small tin horse and cart, 

 when along came an Emu and swallowed all but half the string. 

 The remaining half dangled from its beak for half the day until 

 cut sufficiently short to allow it to swallow what had beei\ 

 an irritation for hours. Both child and Emu were considerably 

 astonished. Tame Emus are by no means desirable pets, for 

 strange horses when tied to fences will get terribly frightened by 

 the prying bird, and eventually do damage to property. Emus 

 are said to be a nuisance among the flocks, as young lambs will 

 follow any large quickly moving object and thus get led away 

 by Emus in broad areas. By this means lambs soon lose their 

 "dames " and themselves. In addition the Emu seems to take a 

 delight in chasing both lambs and mothers." 



On cattle runs and agricultural blocks this bird is a friend, 

 being insectivorous and graminivorous, though particularly useful 

 as a destroyer of insect pests. The Hon. James Balfour had a 

 tame bird that could be mesmerised quickly, and falling upon the 

 ground might be easily fed. After a few months it got to know 

 that it had a weakness, and with any attempt to mesmerise 

 away it would run as a safeguard (1898). Mr. John AUis tells 

 me the food of the birds near Murchison consists greatly of 

 " quondongs " (Santalum) in the season. The young, when 

 captured, lie down, and sometimes die at once. When observed 

 the female may run towards you or wait your approach ; the 

 male stands off calling " bump, bump, bump " with a very 

 guttural expression. A quiet dog does not annoy an Emu, but 



