82 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



sake of their feathers, besides being protected in the wild state. 

 The East Indian Cassowaries are frequently reared from chicken- 

 hood by the natives instead of being exterminated, and must 

 form a considerable item in the stock of those who cater for 

 European menageries, to judge from the great number I have 

 seen offered for sale during the past few years. Far otherwise, 

 alas ! is it with the New Zealand Apteryxes and the Emeus of 

 Australia, which tend rapidly to extinction ; from the fine appear- 

 ance and natural docility of the latter birds this decrease in 

 numbers is greatly to be regretted. 



Three species of Emeu have been recognized as valid, and it 

 is to these birds that I propose to devote this essay. The Spotted 

 Emeu (Dromceus irroratus) is a very elegant bird of slender 

 build, and having its dark grey plumage pleasingly dotted with 

 white, as if besprinkled with dew. This species is easily recog- 

 nized by its hazel iris. A living example was exhibited at the 

 Amsterdam Zoological Gardens in 1860, and in June of that 

 year a second example, received in exchange from the Rotterdam 

 collection, arrived at the London Zoological Gardens. Two 

 young birds which had been captured on the Swan River were 

 subsequently added to the Regent's Park menagerie. Although 

 it has been ascertained to inhabit Western Australia, but little is 

 known about this rare species. 



The Common Emeu {D. novee-hollandia) is known by its 

 stouter build, and by its light brown plumage mottled in places 

 with grey ; the iris is reddish brown instead of hazel. This 

 species is so well represented in zoological gardens and museums 

 that most persons will be familiar with its appearance. Special 

 interest attaches to the Common Emeu as being the largest of 

 all living birds save the Ostrich. 



It is a remarkable fact, that many animals conspicuous for 

 their size, are related to others whose dwarf forms seem almost 

 like miniature reproductions, fashioned by nature in a fit of 

 whimsical caprice. For instance, although the recent species of 

 Elephant are the largest of all terrestrial mammals, there have 

 been discovered in the caverns of Malta the remains of pigmy 

 Elephants, closely related to the living African species, yet not 

 exceeding three feet in height ! Similarly the great Hippopo- 

 tamus major of Britain, now known only by its fossilized bones, 



