Birds. 6881 



and were aware how difficult it was to procure them ; but none had 

 ever seen it in captivity before, and it was therefore regarded with 

 great interest. The number of skins of this bird I have seen during 

 my residence of twenty-two years in the colony only amounts to four. 

 The bird is very graceful : its attitudes and bearing, whether in a state 

 of repose, stalking rapidly, or walking gently over a lawn or yard, with 

 its measured noiseless steps, have a combination of grace and elegance, 

 and it displays an independence of manner that might be expected in 

 a bird so wild and roaming in its habits. It is gentle and good- 

 tempered, soon gets reconciled to captivity, and seems to take pleasure 

 in being noticed and admired, remaining very quiet to be looked at — 

 keeping a bright eye upon the spectator, however, during the time. 

 Although when first seen it has an uncouth appearance, from the large 

 size of the mandibles in proportion to the body, yet on'a closer acquaint- 

 ance its manner wins upon you, and a feeling of attachment arises 

 towards it from its placid, tame, domesticated manner, elegance of form, 

 graceful carriage and beautiful metallic brilliancy of plumage, more 

 especially over the head and neck. 



This bird had been in captivity four months previous to its arrival 

 in Sydney, having been captured by the blacks. It permits any one 

 to approach it, only timidly moving away when an attempt is made to 

 touch it. It sometimes stands quite erect, or on one leg, with the 

 other thrown out ; or rests upon the tarsi, like the emu and mooruk, 

 and again upon one leg, with the bill inclined upon the breast. It 

 was very hungry on its arrival at my house, and with the greatest facility 

 devoured g- ft. of beef, cut into small species, placed in a tub of water, 

 or caught the meat in the mandibles when thrown to it. It also feeds 

 on fish and reptiles. When the food is hard or gristly it is rejected 

 from the mandibles after trying to masticate it, and bruised with the 

 point of the beak until it becomes sufficiently soft to be swallowed. 

 It feeds generally in the mornings and evenings ; and although the 

 mandibles look so large, it picks up the smallest object with great 

 readiness, and clatters the mandibles with a loud noise when catching 

 flies. 



It preens its feathers, and removes any dirt or insects from them 

 very neatly with the bill, accompanying the action with a degree of 

 ease and grace pleasing to observe. When a tub of water was placed 

 near it, it placed one leg in it, and after drinking filled its beak with 

 water and threw it out again, as if washing out the mandibles. The 

 eye is very large and remarkably brilliant, and yet imparts to the bird 

 a great docility of expression, making it appear— what it is — an amiable 

 XVIII. N 



