198 ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS. 



In its manners the Emeu bears a close resemblance 

 to the Ostrich, as might be expected from their near 

 relationship. Its food appears to be wholly vegetable, 

 consisting chiefly of fruits, roots, and herbage ; and it 

 is consequently, notwithstanding its great strength, 

 perfectly inofl'ensive. The length of its legs, and the 

 muscularity of its thighs, enable it to run with great 

 swiftness ; and, as it is exceedingly shy, it is not easily 

 overtaken, or brought within gun-shot. Captain Currie, 

 in Mr. Barron Field's Memoirs on New South Wales, 

 states that it affords " excellent coursing, equalling, if 

 not surpassing, the same sport with the hare in Eng- 

 land." And Mr. Cunningham, in his amusing work 

 entitled Two Years in New South Wales, gives a curious 

 account of the manner in which it is usually coursed by 

 the dogs. The latter gentleman states that dogs will 

 seldom attack it, both on account of some peculiar 

 odour in its flesh which they dislike, and because the 

 injuries which it inflicts upon them by striking out with 

 its feet are frequently very severe. " The settlers even 

 assert," he says, " that they [the Emeus] will break 

 the small bone of a man's leg by this sort of kick ; 

 which to avoid, the well-trained dogs run up abreast, 

 and make a sudden spring at their neck, whereby they 

 are quickly dispatched." 



But although dogs in general may be reluctant to 

 attack the Emeu, this is by no means the case with those 

 which are specially trained for the purpose. M. Peron 

 assures us that the English seal-fishers on King's Island 

 in Bass's Strait had with them dogs which were taught 

 to go alone into the woods in quest of Kanguroos and 

 Emeus, and rarely failed to destroy several of these 

 animals every day. When the chase was at an end, 

 they returned to their masters' dwelling, made known 

 by signs the success of their expedition, and conducted 

 the hunters to the spot where the quarry was deposited. 



