396 THE LIVING ANIMALS OF THE WORLD 



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MANTELL'S KIWI, NEW ZEALAND, NORTH ISLAND 



When feeding, the kiivi makes a sniffing sound, distinctly audible at some distance 



can be more delicate than the flesh 

 of the young ones. There is little 

 fit for culinary use upon any part 

 of the emu, except the hind- 

 quarters, which are of such dimen- 

 sions that the shouldering of the 

 two hind legs homeward for a mile 

 distance once proved to me as tire- 

 some a task as I ever recollect to 

 have encountered in the colony. I 

 may remark that its flesh proved 

 of the greatest service to Dr. Leich- 

 ardt and his intrepid companions 

 during their overland route from 

 Moreton Bay to Port Essington, in 

 the course of which, but more par- 

 ticularly between the head of the 

 Gulf of Carpentaria and Port Essing- 

 ton, the sight and capture of the 

 emu was almost a daily occurrence ; 

 so abundant, in fact, was it, that 

 he states that he saw in the short 

 space of eight miles at least a hundred, in flocks of three, five, ten, and even more at 

 a time. On the continent of Australia the emu was formerly abundant about Botany Bay 

 and Port Jackson Harbour, but is now only to be seen in the plains of the interior, over 

 whose solitudes it roams in great numbers, and where it breeds, depending on the strength 

 and swiftness of its legs to avoid the pursuit of the stockmen and their dogs. Farther and 

 farther back, however, will it be driven, until it be extirpated, unless some law be instituted to 

 check its wanton destruction." 



In a wild state emeus take readily to the water, and have on more than one occasion 

 been seen swimming across a wide river. The South American rhea is also known to be a 

 good swimmer. 



The COMMON EMEU is restricted to Eastern Australia. The opposite side of this great 

 continent is inhabited by another and very distinct species, known as the SPOTTED EMEU. 



THE APTERYX 



To see the APTERYX at home, we should 

 have to travel to far New Zealand, and to 

 hunt with infinite patience when we got there. 

 Apteryx-hunting, it has been found, to be 

 successful, must be done by the help of dogs. 

 Sir Walter Buller has written some veryspirited 

 accounts of such hunts. Europeans, indeed, 

 have been singularly successful in this hunting, 

 whereby they have done much to enhance the 

 value of this bird by hastening its fast ap- 

 proaching and inevitable extermination. 



The natives call this bird the Kiwi, from 

 its call-note, " ki-i-wi." These cries are uttered 



, - . , P>"t> h **" D - Car,,*, ,,.] [PMad.lphia 



during the early hours of the night, ceasing OWEN - S KIWI> NEW ZEALA ND, SOUTH 

 after midnight. They appear to have great ISLAND 



penetrating power. nis is the smallest of the ki-wit 



