268 



CASSELLS BOOK OF BIRDS. 



round), placed upon its side ; the mouth very large, taking up the whole of the under part of the 

 front. It was very shallow, so much so that if tilted slightly the eggs would roll out, being almost on a 

 level with the edge. It was outwardly composed of grass, and the young dry shoots of the reeds which 

 are so common in all the swamps near the Hunter River, lined with fine grass, roots, and, finally, a 

 very fine green moss. It was very loosely put together, and required to be moved very gently to 

 prevent its falling to pieces. 



" ' The eggs are six lines and a half long by four and a half broad, they are sprinkled all over 

 with minute dots of a light reddish brown, particularly at the larger end, where they are blotched with 

 the same colour. One of the three had no blotches, but was minutely freckled all over. The 

 ground-colour is a delicate white, with a blush of pink before the egg is blown. 



THE EMU WREN [Stipiturus malachurus). 



" ' The only note of the bird, besides a slight chirp when flushed and separated, is a twitter, 

 not unlike a faint attempt to imitate the Malurus cyaneus. While in the swamp, which at that time 

 was nearly dry, I observed several separate flocks ; of these some were hopping along the ground, 

 picking up something here and there, others, whose appetites seemed appeased, were creeping along 

 through the reeds, about a foot from the ground, but as the reeds thickened I soon lost sight of them. 

 They seldom took wing except when disturbed, and not always then, seeming very averse to showing 

 themselves. While watching them, I observed one now and then hop to the top of a tall reed, as if 

 to get a glimpse at the world above. Upon coming suddenly upon a flock and following them, they 

 keep to the reeds just in front of you, and never take wing unless hard driven, when they separate, 

 and do not collect for some time. 



" ' The male is readily distinguished from the female by the blue colouring of the throat, and by 

 a somewhat greater development of the tail-feathers. The decomposed or loose stmcture of these 



