9206 Birds. 
It was found necessary to separate the mother bird as before, or 
the young ones being let out. The parents spar occasionally across 
the fence when anything occurs to excite them. He is most gentle 
and attentive to the little ones, and steps about amongst them with 
the most admirable care. Let, however, a strange dog or cat, or other 
supposed enemy, make its appearance, and the scene is absolutely 
sublime. She is in full sight of them, and struts about with a full 
pouting breast of feathers, and evident satisfaction, like a great turkey- 
cock. The young ones, instead of the ashy brown adult plumage, are 
elegantly longitudinally striped, their heads yery prettily dappled ; 
they are anything but shy, feeding freely out of the hand, and are 
very playful, imitating all the odd actions of the parent birds. 
I draw the following conclusions, in addition to, or correction of, 
former observations as to the habits of these singular birds :— 
1. The normal period of incubation is about sixty days. 
2. The number hatched in the natural state is probably very small, 
though the number of eggs is so large. The eggs are probably laid 
about, with an affection for sheltered damp places, and when the 
breeding time comes the male bird gathers together the few he can 
find, sits upon them steadily for a month, becomes restless as soon as 
he feels life in them, perhaps very much exposes them to the sun for 
the last fortnight, and, when two or three are hatched, walks off with 
them away from the mother bird, leaving the rest to perish. 
8. The principle of life is remarkably strong in the young bird, 
both while an embryo in the egg and afterwards. 
It would not be right to omit acknowledging the extreme attention 
and active liberality of the Société Imperiale D’Acclimatation of Paris, 
who, through their Secretary, M. Pierre Pichot, have, in the most 
gratifying manner, awarded me their first-class honorary silver medal, 
for success so far, before the present season, in the propagation of the 
emeu. The medal has been duly received through the kind offices of 
the Acclimatisation Society of London. 
Ws. BENNETT. 
Brockham Lodge, June 4, 1864. 
Eagles in the Highlands. ~ On the 4th of the present month (June), when fishing 
on Loch Tummel, Perthshire, my son saw an eagle take a fish (of about two lbs. 
weight apparently) from the surface of the water. From the white tail my son con- 
cluded that the bird was a sea eagle, or erne; but he tells me that owing to the dis- 
tance (some 150 yards) he could not be sure that the tail was wholly white, and not 
tipped with a dark band, as in the immature golden eagle. The body appeared to be 
