Birds. 63 11 



whistling noise ; not a door could be left open, but in they walked, 

 familiar with all. They kept the servants constantly on the alert ; if 

 the servant v*ent to open the door, on turning round she found a 

 mooruk behind her, for they seldom went together, generally wandering 

 apart from each other. If any attempt was made to turn them out by 

 force, they would dart rapidly round the room, dodging about under 

 the tables, chairs and sofas, and then end hy squatting down under a 

 sofa or in a corner, and it was impossible to remove the bird, except 

 by carrying it away. On attempting this, the long, powerful, muscular 

 legs would begin kicking and struggling, and soon get released, when 

 it would politely walk out of its own accord. I found the best method 

 was to entice them out, as if you had something eatable in your hand, 

 when they would follow the direction in which you wished to lead 

 them. They sometimes also give a smart kick to any person attempting 

 to turn them out forcibly. The, housemaid attempting to turn the 

 bird out of one of the rooms, it gave her a kick and tore her dress 

 whilst she was very politely driving him before her. They walk into 

 the stable among the horses, poking their bills into the manger. When 

 writing in my study, a chirping, whistling noise is heard ; the door 

 which was ajar is pushed open, and in walk the mooruks, who quietly 

 pace round the room, inspecting everything, and then as peaceably 

 go out again. If any attempt is made to turn them out, they leap and 

 dodge about, and exhibit a wonderful rapidity of movement, which no 

 one would suppose possible from their quiet gait and manner at other 

 times. Even in the very tame state of these birds, I have seen sufficient 

 of them to know that if they were loose in a wood it would be impossible 

 to catch them, and almost as difficult to shoot them. One day, when 

 apparently frightened at something that occurred, I saw one of them 

 scour round the yard at a swift pace, and speedily disappear under the 

 archway so rapidly that the eye could hardly follow it, upsetting all 

 the poultry in its progress, as they could not get out of the way. The 

 lower half of the stable door, about four feet high, was kept shut to 

 prevent them going in ; but this proved no obstacle, as it was easily 

 leaped over by these birds. They never appeared to take any notice 

 of, or be frightened at, the jabiru or gigantic crane, which was in the 

 same yard, although that sedate, stately bird was not pleased at their 

 intrusion. One day I remarked the jabiru spreading his long wings, 

 and clattering his beak opposite one of the mooruks, as if in ridicule 

 of its wingless condition. Mooruk, on the other hand, was preening 

 its feathers and spreading out its funny little apology for wings, as if 

 proud of displaying the stiff horny shafts, with which they were adorned. 



