The Emu. 
A LUSUS Nature. — I saw an extraordinary Magpie the other 
day while cycling from Yinnar to Morwell, Gippsland. It had 
light chocolate-brown markings instead of black, and at a dis- 
tance, when flying, it appeared almost white. The bird was 
evidently young, with other Magpies, and was in a wattle tree 
close to another bird when I examined the markings from a 
distance of about 50 feet. I took a ^-plate photo of the freak, 
but it will be too small for any practical purpose. — J. P. CAMP- 
BELL. Murrumbeena, 7/2/02. 
* * * 
Australian Birds at the Crystal Palace. — At the 
exhibition of the London and Provincial Ornithological Society, 
held at the Crystal Palace, November last, the best bird in the 
Parrakeet class was a female of the Golden-shouldered Parrakeet 
{Psephotus chrysopterygius). In the class for Waxbills, &c., a 
pair of Red-faced Grass Finches {BatJiilda ruficauda) received 
first award ; a pair of White-breasted Grass Finches {Munia 
pectoralis) being second. In the mixed class for seed-eaters 
the first prize was won by a pair of Long-tailed Grass Finches 
(yPoephila acuticaudd)^ the second by a pair of White-eared Grass 
Finches (/^. leiicotis). The class for insectivorous birds included 
Wood-Swallows {Artainus personatus and A. superciliosus) and a 
Sacred Kingfisher {Halcyon sanctiis). 
Awards for Aviculture. — The Avicultural Society 
awards a bronze medal to any of its members who succeed in 
breeding, in the United Kingdom, any species of bird that has 
not been known to have previously bred in captivity in Great 
Britain or Ireland. The following Australian birds have 
brought success to their owners, viz. : — Long-tailed Grass Finch 
{Poephila acuticaudd), in 1897, owner Mr. R. A.Todd; Green- 
Leek {Polytehs barrabandi), in 1900, owner Rev. C. D. Farrar ; 
Masked Grass-Finch (Poephila personata), in 1900, owner Mr, L. 
N. Hawkins ; Pink Cockatoo {Cacattca leadbeateri), in 1901, 
owner Mrs. Johnstone ; Red-faced Grass-Finch {Bathilda rufi- 
cauda^, in 1 901, owner Mr. A. E. Nicholson. 
* % ' 
Emus in North Australia. — From casual observation 
I think the full-grown Emu in North Australia attains a larger 
size than in the southern parts of the continent, and is usually 
darker in colour, and the striping in the young lasts to a greater 
age than in the New South Wales Emu. Probably this is due 
to climatic and local causes, and not to any variation of species. 
Since I explored and settled my present holding on the Victoria 
River, North- West Australia, Emus have increased in numbers, 
