346 A HAND-BOOK OF THE MANAGEMENT OF ANIMALS 



clumsy make. At a distance its feathers have more the appearance of 

 hair than of plumage, their barbs being all loose and separate. As in 

 the ostriches, they take their origin by pairs from the same shaft. The 

 wings are so extremely small as to be quite invisible when applied to 

 the surface of the body. They are clothed with feathers exactly similar 

 to those of the back, which divide from the middle line and fall grace- 

 fully over on either side."— Gould. 



Next to the ostrich it is the largest bird known, standing between 

 5 and 6 feet in height. The prevailing colour of the plumage of an 

 adult bird is light brown or greyish-brown, mottled with greyish-black ; 

 the head and neck are covered sparingly with short feathers ; bill black 

 or dusky-black, depressed at the sides, straight and slightly keeled along 

 the middle, and rounded at the extremity ; nostrils large ; irides yellow- 

 ish-brown ; legs dusky-black ; toes, three, directed forward. 



Hab. — Australia. 



Length of life in captivity. 



Nine years. This, however, does not represent the maximum period, 

 as the bird in question is still alive and well. 



Treatment in health. 



Housing. — An emu is a very hardy creature and requires no housing, 

 properly so-called ; it must be assigned a large enclosure ; a fencing 

 similar to that recommended for the cassowaries does equally well ; they 

 are much given to fighting among themselves, rendering separation 

 necessary; new arrivals introduced in enclosures already occupied by a 

 pair or two generally fare badly : the vicissitudes of climate do not affect 

 them, but experience has shown that when kept in low and damp places 

 their health suffers. Crows are their great enemies, pecking them 

 mercilessly whenever they can, and sometimes inflicting large wounds 

 on their back. 



Food. — In their wild state emus live upon grass and vegetables 

 alone ; in captivity they appear to be omnivorous, but their staple food 

 consists of broken biscuits, bread, crushed food consisting of Indian- 

 corn, oats, gram, with a quantity of vegetables ; if the enclosure is large 

 and green grass plentiful, they require little extra food ; fruits are always 

 welcome to them. 



Breeding. — Emus have laid several times, but only once succeeded in 

 hatching and rearing young ones. This happened in 1885-86: between 

 the 4th of November and 23rd of December 13 eggs were laid, of 

 which 2 were broken ; on the 24th the male was found excited and 

 anxious, visiting the eggs repeatedly, which were lying on a sandy patch 

 of ground adjoining their shed; the place was at once fenced in with 

 durmah mats, to afford as much privacy as possible. On the 26th 

 the male sat on 11 eggs, to which 4 more were subsequently added. 

 The period of incubation lasted for 63 days, the bird sitting all this 

 time with praiseworthy perseverance, in spite of thunder-storms and 

 heavy rains, to which it was twice exposed during the latter end of 

 February. As it was never observed to leave its nest for food or drink, 



