280 THE BIRDS 



helmet and purple wattles. Another, found in the same islands, 

 as well as in New Guinea, has the helmet coloured black, green 

 and yellow, the head grey, the neck orange, red and blue, flesh- 

 coloured wattles, and a yellow streak running from the beak across 

 the head. Cassowaries run very swiftly, though somewhat heavily, 

 and can take tremendous leaps over obstacles. They are able to 

 swim with ease, and will often cross rivers in the wet season. 

 Normally they are forest birds, but they often come out into the 

 open country, particularly where creeks and watercourses are 

 found. 



Emus are very much like cassowaries in their habits, but they 

 frequent more open situations, sandy plains and forest land, where 

 the vegetation is not dense. They are bigger birds than the casso- 

 waries, and the head is feathered and has not the curious helmet. 

 They range throughout Australia and 'some of the adjacent islands. 

 The Common Emu (Dromceus novce-hollandia) of Eastern Australia 

 is almost as big as an ostrich ; it is dark grey in colour, with a some- 

 what mottled effect owing to the black tips of the feathers. Young 

 birds before they gain their adult plumage are striped with black 

 and greyish-white on the back, while the head and under-surface 

 are spotted. This colouring is protective, and renders the young 

 Emu chick inconspicuous when crouching among the grasses. 

 Both Emus and cassowaries are monogamous, though after the 

 breeding season the birds often herd together in small companies. 

 Their food consists of herbage, roots and fruit, They have keen 

 sight, can run very rapidly, and are strong swimmers. As the Emu 

 is extensively hunted with dogs, or shot, on account of the damage 

 it does to pasture land and wire fencing, as well as for the sake 

 of its flesh, it runs the risk of extermination. At one time it 

 was almost as abundant in the neighbourhood of Port Jackson 

 and Botany Bay as the kangaroo and the wallaby, but it is 

 now only seen in the interior, and is becoming scarcer every 

 year. 



The Ostrich, the largest of living birds, is now confined to 

 Africa, Arabia and Syria, but the fact that it once had a much 

 wider range is indicated by its fossil remains being found in 

 India. It is distinguished from all other birds by having only 

 two toes. The toes bear thick, stunted claws, and are padded 

 beneath, the entire foot being exceptionally strong and stout. 



