EMU OR CASSOWARY. 117 



interior are inundated, and the Emus, in seeking 

 their food amongst, or attempting to escape from 

 these marshes, must be often obliged to hav r e re- 

 course to swimming; which, considering their weight, 

 would be difficult, were it not for the power of filling 

 this pouch with air, and thus keeping their heads 

 and necks above water. That this is correct, we have 

 good reason for believing: for Captain Short, in the 

 account of his recent expedition into the interior of 

 Australia, mentions the fact of two Emus swimming 

 across the Morumbidgee, in a part of considerable 

 width and rapidity, which they would never have 

 ventured to attempt, so peculiarly are they in body 

 and limb unfitted for swimming, without some inter- 

 nal capacity, similar to the above*. 



Of the last bird in this list, the Dodo, no par- 

 ticulars are known. The following account of one 

 exhibited in London, is the only instance, we believe, 

 on record, of its appearance as a living species in 

 modern times; we give it on the authority of Sir 

 Hamon L'Estrange, quoted in Sir Thomas Browne's 

 works, vol. 2, p. 174. " About 1638, as I walked 

 London streets, I sawe the picture of a strange 

 fowle hang out, and myselfe, with one or two more 

 then in company, went in to see it. It was kept 

 in a chamber, and was a great fowle, somewhat 

 bigger than the largest Turkey-cock, and so legged 

 and footed, but shorter and thicker, and of a 

 more erect shape, couloured before like the breast 

 of a young cock Fesan, and on the back of dunn 

 or deare coulour. The keeper called it a Dodo, 

 and in the ende of a chimney in the chamber, 



* See note on the pouch of the Hurgila, p. 141. 



