248 LETTER FKOM DR. G. BENNETT. [NoV. 25, 



Sava or Russell Island, -which unfortunately died on the passage 

 to Sydney, informs me that the female lays daily from two to four 

 eggs, and that the female on hoard laid two eggs daily until the time 

 of her death. The natives of the various islands inhabited by these 

 birds collect these eggs for sale (for they are richer and more deli- 

 cious than those of the fowl), in baskets of two dozen each. The 

 eggs are sometimes found fresh and good when opened, whilst others 

 contain partially-formed young in different stages, even to the full- 

 fledged bird just ready to emerge from the shell into active life. 

 This might he expected, considering the irregular intervals of time 

 the eggs are laid. The eggs I have vary slightly in size, but are 

 usually of a pale brownish-red colour, and measure, for the most 

 part, 3 inches in length and 1| inch in breadth. 



" Our pair of Mooruks are thriving well in the Botanic Gardens : 

 we have placed them in a large grassed enclosure, 117 feet in length 

 and 45 feet broad, interspersed with a few trees and a small circular 

 pond of water about 2 feet deep, where they are very fond of bathing. 

 There is a thatched shed in the centre for further shelter, if required ; 

 and the whole is surrounded by a wire fence, 5 feet high. In this 

 enclosure with the Mooruks are two native companions, an Emu 

 and a sedate Jabiru. The latter is a very solitary, timid bird, always 

 seen by himself. He moves with stately strides, and, if pursued, 

 runs with great rapidity. When the Mooruks first arrived, they 

 were placed with the Water-fowl, in an enclosure where there was a 

 deep tank of water ; they are very fond of bathing (which, I also ob- 

 serve, obtains with the Emu), and one of them leaped, as usual, into 

 the water; but the sides being perpendicular and made of cut stone, 

 it could not get readily out of it. Finding itself getting exhausted, 

 it struggled against the edge of the tank, cut its face and severely 

 injured the throat, laying open the pharynx, through the gaping 

 wound of which the food passed; this was stitched, and the bird soon 

 got quite well. From the birds being nearly drowned several times, 

 they were removed to the enclosure before mentioned, with a more 

 shallow pond of water. Mr. Dawson (who has just returned from 

 New Britain) brought another young bird, but, from some causeor 

 other, it died a few days after its arrival. It is now in the Australian 

 Museum. He says the natives pronounce the name of this bird as if 

 written 'Moorup.' Fifteen eggs, brought by Mr. Dawson, that I 

 have examined (of which he gave me two, and also a pair for the 

 Australian Museum) differ considerably in size and colour. They 

 have all been exposed more or less to the influence of heat and vari- 

 ous atmospheric influences ; so that none are seen of the beautiful 

 grass-green colour of the recently-laid eggs in the Zoological Gardens 

 in the Regent's Park. One was a small abortive egg, barely one- 

 half of the natural size, but with similar markings. The birds are 

 hrought off for sale by the natives in every stage of growth, from the 

 young chick to the full-grown bird, with its dark plumage, purple 

 neck, and trilobed crest. The medium of purchase is pipes and 

 tobacco." 



