564 BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 



them to my house in a cab ; and when placed in the yard 

 they walked about as tame as turkeys. They approached 

 anyone that came into the yard, pecking the hand as if desi- 

 rous of being fed, and were very docile. They began by 

 pecking at a bone in the yard, probably not having tasted any 

 meat for some time, and would not, while engaged upon it, 

 touch some boiled potatoes which were thrown to them ; in- 

 deed we found afterwards they fed better out of a dish than 

 from the gromid — no doubt, having been accustomed early to 

 be fed in that manner. They were as familiar as if born and 

 bred among us for years, and did not require time to recon- 

 cile them to their new situation, but became sociable and 

 quite at home at once. We found them next day rather too 

 tame, or, like spoilt pets, too often in the way. One or both 

 of them would walk into the kitchen ; while one was dodging 

 under the tables and chairs, the other would leap upon the 

 table, keeping the cook in a state of excitement ; or they 

 would be heard chirping in the hall, or walk into the library 

 in search of food or information, or walk up stairs, and then 

 be quickly seen descending again, making their peculiar chirp- 

 ing, whistling noise : not a door could be left open, but in 

 they walked, familiar with all. They kept the servants con- 

 stantly on the alert : if one of them went to open the door, 

 on turning round she found a ' Mooruk ' behind her ; for they 

 seldom went together, generally wandering apart from each 

 other. If any attempt was made to turn them out by force, 

 they would dart rapidly round the room, dodging about under 

 the tables, chairs, and sofas, and then end by squatting down 

 under a sofa or in a corner ; and it was impossible to remove 

 the bird except by carrying it away : on attempting this, the 

 long, powerful, muscular legs, would begin kicking and strug- 

 gling, and soon get released, when it would politely walk out 

 of its own accord. I found the best method was to entice 

 them out, as if you had something eatable in the hand, when 

 they would follow the direction in which you wished to lead 



