230 
POPULAR HISTORY OP BIRDS. 
^ Travels in Asia Minor/ when he speaks of the Turkish 
mosque at Magnesia being ornamented with lamps pendent 
from the ceiHng intermixed with balls of polished ivory (p. 
267). 
The flesh of the emu [Dromaius Novm HoUandice) is 
eaten by the natives of New Holland^ and travellers speak 
of it as being meat not to be despised. Dr. Leichhardt^ in 
his overland journey from Moreton Bay to Port Essington, 
found that it supplied his party with excellent food. In his 
journal he says : — We enjoyed a most beautiful moon- 
light night over a well-grilled emu bone with so much sa- 
tisfaction, that a frequenter of the restaurants of the Palais 
Royal would have been doubtful whether to pity or envy us^."*^ 
The young of the emu is prettily striped with brown and 
white; the nest consists of a few sticks scraped together 
with little design ; in this are deposited several eggs, which 
are of a deepish green hue. When they can be procured 
they are highly esteemed for the table, and are much prized 
by the natives. The shells, when mounted with silver or 
some other white metal, form elegant ornamental vessels. 
Like the South American Bheaj emus when necessary cross 
rivers, as they can swim well. 
* LeicMiardt's Journal, p. 368. 
