276 A LONG RAMBLE IN QUEENSLAND 



habit of running round in a circular direction, apparently 

 simply for amusement. 



About the southernmost limit of their range cassowaries 

 and emus inhabit the same districts ; but they never 

 actually intermingle ; and, advancing northward, the casso- 

 wary will be found to rapidly supplant the emu, which is 

 not found, except as a straggler, in the extreme north of 

 the continent. 



Unless prompt measures are taken for its protection, 

 the cassowary will soon be an extinct bird on the Australian 

 continent. The extraordinary crest, or helmet, is a 

 curiosity much sought for by some persons ; and the bird 

 is greatly harassed by stock-riders, shepherds, and other 

 people of similar classes, who shoot them at long range with 

 rifles ; and, as no discretion regarding season or condition 

 is observed and the bird is far from prolific, its numbers 

 have already been greatly reduced. 



Beyond the Mitchell River no striking change in the 

 scenery of the country was observed, and of necessity we 

 were compelled to turn homeward, the route being taken 

 on a line which ran much nearer to the sea-coast than the 

 one we had been following. 



At the farthest point we reached the country was well 

 stocked with game, consisting of several species of the 

 kangaroo tribe and birds without number, including 

 bustards. Apparently there is but one species of bustard 

 {Eupodotis australis) in Australia ; but the birds of this 

 kind inhabiting the north are a much deeper brown in 

 colour than those found in the south. The two kinds seem 

 to be what some writers term " local varieties " ; and it 

 can scarcely be denied that locality has some effect in 

 moderating species. The subject seems to need further 

 study. It is not certain that the Australian bustard is a 

 distinct species. It at least greatly resembles the 

 Eupodotis edwardsi of India and other parts of Asia. 



During the latter part of our journey home we had to 

 subsist almost entirely on the flesh of wallaby and birds 

 and a few fish which we caught in the billabongs and 

 water-holes. It may be worth noting that as the waters 



