8 
The Emu. 
the upper part of the back, and in the third year a very few 
faintly barred, but these disappeared in the fourth year. Her 
appearance in her second year would agree very well with 
Mr. Bartlett's description, especially as she was slight and her 
feathers somewhat more silky than usual; but her nest companion 
was much larger and stronger, and had no bars after the end of 
the first year. Consequently, as has been shown, many young 
Emus have more or less spotted or barred plumage, but these 
spots as a rule disappear at or before the end of the third year, 
though in some cases they may be more persistent ; and in a 
clutch of young birds from the same nest some are spotted and 
some are not, and some only faintly so, therefore I do not think 
D. irroratus can stand even as a variety. 
Young Emus vary much in the colour of their plumage ; 
some are nearly black, whereas others again are a light greyish- 
brown, almost stone-colour, with the variations between, but after 
the third year they are practically all the same, although in 
adults some have the ends of their feathers darker, and also 
darker for a longer distance down the feather than others, and 
others again, especially from North-Western Australia, have a 
dark reddish-brown tint and a lio^hter mark on the feather next to 
o 
the dark end, which gives them a spotted appearance, and often 
before the fourth year many of the feathers have a white tip 
instead of black ; but there are links between all the variations, 
and two Emus are rarely exactly alike. Some also have the 
feathers of the upper part of the neck of a much lighter colour 
than others, in some cases almost white. On two occasions 
only have I found individual pure white feathers on the back. I 
have only heard of one albino specimen, and that in Northern 
Australia, where it was reported to a local resident by the 
natives ; one West Australian bird had several partially white 
feathers on its back. Regarding the texture of the feathers, 
there is again a considerable difference, as some are of a finer 
texture than others and more silky towards the base. There is 
always a difference in the two feathers that spring from one 
base — one is longer and also sharper at the end than the other. 
These birds vary in size and height ; some are much more 
stoutly built and some have longer legs than others. The male 
bird seems to regard the nest as his own special property, as he 
not only does most, if not all, the hatching, but also protects it if 
need be. The male and female do not vary much in appearance, 
but the former generally has the ends of his feathers darker, and 
has a considerably larger tail than his mate. 
The veteran ornithologist and author, Professor Alf Newton, 
Cambridge (England), is the first person outside of Austral- 
asia to join the Aust. O.U. No country or clime — only the 
wide world itself — limits the work and enthusiasm of the true 
naturalist. 
