Dr. G. Bennett on some Australian Birds. 381 



and 45 feet broad, interspersed with a few trees and a small circular 

 pond of water about 2 feet deep, where they are very fond of bathing. 

 There is a thatched shed in the centre for further shelter, if required ; 

 and the whole is surrounded by a wire fence, 5 feet high? In this 

 enclosure with the Mooruks are two native companions, an Emu 

 and a sedate Jabiru. The latter is a very solitary, timid bird, always 

 seen by himself. He moves with stately strides, and, if pursued, 

 runs with great rapidity. When the Mooruks first arrived, they 

 were placed with the Water-fowl, in an enclosure where there was a 

 deep tank of water ; they are very fond of bathing (which, I also ob- 

 serve, obtains with the Emu), and one of them leaped, as usual, into 

 the water ; but the sides being perpendicular and made of cut stone, 

 it could not get readily out of it. Finding itself getting exhausted, 

 it struggled against the edge of the tank, cut its face and severely 

 injured the throat, laying open the pharynx, through the gaping 

 wound of which the food passed ; this was stitched, and the bird soon 

 got quite well. From the birds being nearly drowned several times, 

 they were removed to the enclosure before mentioned, with a more 

 shallow pond of water. Mr. Dawson (who has just returned from 

 New Britain) brought another young bird, but, from some cause or 

 other, it died a few days after its arrival. It is now in the Australian 

 Museum. He says the natives pronounce the name of this bird as if 

 written ' Moorup.' Fifteen eggs, brought by Mr. Dawson, that I 

 have examined (of which he gave me two, and also a pair for the 

 Australian Museum) differ considerably in size and colour. They 

 have all been exposed more or less to the influence of heat and vari- 

 ous atmospheric influences ; so that none are seen of the beautiful 

 grass-green colour of the recently-laid eggs in the Zoological Gardens 

 in the Regent's Park. One was a small abortive egg, barely one- 

 half of the natural size, but with similar markings. The birds are 

 brought off for sale by the natives in every stage of growth, from the 

 young chick to the full-grown bird, with its dark plumage, purple 

 neck, and trilobed crest. The medium of purchase is pipes and 

 tobacco." 



The following letter, addressed by Dr. Bennett to the ' Sydney 

 Herald' of September 3rd, 1862, was also read to the meeting : — 



" Since the publication of my observations on the Toothed-billed 

 Pigeon (Didunculus strigirostris) in the * Sydney Herald ' of August 

 19th, 1862, I have received a communication from the secretary of 

 the Acclimatization Society of Victoria, enclosing some valuable notes 

 given to them, respecting this rare and extraordinary bird, by the 

 Rev. John B. Stair, of Broadmeadows, Victoria, who was formerly 

 resident for some time at the Samoan or Navigator group of islands, 

 considered the exclusive habitat of this singular bird. I have now 

 selected those portions relating to the bird which are either new to 

 science or will more fully add to its history, and complete, as far as 

 possible, our knowledge of this nearly extinct bird. Mr. Stair says 

 he has seen the Didunculus, and that it is named by the natives Manu 

 Mea, or red bird, from the most predominant colour of its plumage 



