The Ostrich and its Kindred 



395 



Photo by Scholastic Photo. Co.] [Parson's Green. 



YOUNG EMEUS. 

 After a few weeks the black and white stripes become much less conspicuous. 



pouch comes to lie between this tube 

 and the skin. Strangely enough, it 

 is found only in the female, and is 

 used by her chiefly during the 

 breeding-season, when she utters a 

 peculiarly loud booming note, which, 

 it is supposed, is caused by the 

 manipulation of the air in the pouch. 

 When moved by any gentle excite- 

 ment or pleasure, especially on damp 

 evenings or in the dead of night, she 

 also becomes musical, giving forth a 

 note which has been likened to a 

 gong or muffled drum. The male, 

 which is smaller, fleeter of foot, and 

 more docile and inquisitive, is mute, 

 or at most gives forth a suppressed 

 hiss when angry, or a kind of grunt 

 when distressed. 

 At one time the emeu roamed over the whole of the mainland of Australia; but now, alas ! 



it is almost exterminated, being found only far inland and in steadily diminishing numbers. 



Swift of foot and of great powers of endurance, the emeu has afforded in the past much " sport " 



to the hunting-man, who followed the dogs, doubtless making comparisons the while between 



his two-legged prey and his four-footed 



friend Eeynard. The hunt does not end 



till the bird is thoroughly exhausted, 



when it must be seized at once by the 



neck, in order to prevent it kicking, for 



the legs are so powerful that a blow 



from the foot is dangerous. 



Incubation is apparently performed 



by the male, which sits from fifty-four 



to sixty-four days. Practically no nest 



is made, only a shallow hollow being 



scraped in the sand. The eggs, from 



seven to thirteen in number, are of 



a dark bottle-green colour, sometimes 



lighter, and have the surfaces curiously 



roughened. The male is smaller than 



the female, a fact which has led to 



some confusion, the larger female having 



at one time been regarded as the male. 



It will be noted that the emeus not 



only lack the brilliant colour of the casso- 

 waries, but also the helmet, or casque. 

 The late Mr. Gould's remarks on 



the edibility of the emeu are inter- 

 esting. He says : " Its flesh has been 



compared to coarse beef, which it resem- 

 bles, according to Mr. Cunningham, 



both in appearance and taste, and is 



good and sweet eating ; nothing, indeed. 



Photo by J. T. Newman} 



[Berkhamsted. 



EMEU. 



The feathers of the neck of the emeu are much longer than in the rhea; hence 

 the neck seems shorter. 



