THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
von Steiglitz, of Killymoon, one of which survived until 1873, when it was 
drowned in trying to cross a flooded river. With its death, the Tasmanian 
Emu, Mr. Ransom believes, became extinct.” 
Mr. Le Souef has also observed a difference in the size of the eggs of the 
Tasmanian Emu. “ Two eggs are known to be in existence. Both are 
considerably smaller than those of the mainland variety, one measuring 
4.85 by 3.40 inches, and the other 4.80 by 3.50 inches, whereas the size of 
a typical egg of the mainland Emu is 5.56 by 3.63 inches, which would seem 
to point to the insular bird itself being also smaller, but two eggs are barely 
sufficient to prove the point.” 
Colonel W. V. Legge says* that “ during the ‘ forties ’ the Tasmanian 
Emu used to inhabit, and bred regularly in, a locality known as Kearney’s 
Bogs. This upland moor was part of the Rockfort Estate, owned then by 
the writer’s father-in-law. Major W. Gray, 94th Regiment. It is situated 
about twelve miles to the south of Avoca, in a portion of the East Coast 
Ranges, which flank the valley of the St. Paul’s river. One of the shepherds 
of the estate, H. Wyburn, was resident at the bogs, and used not infrequently 
to bring eggs to the house, and about the year 1845 succeeded in capturing two 
young birds, which were conveyed to Rockfort and reared in the goose-yard. 
They lived about the homestead for several years, and were tame and 
mischievous, coming to the open ‘ French ’ windows of the dining-room 
to be fed, thrusting their heads into the room at times. Mrs. Legge, who 
was then a young girl, has vivid recollections of these Emus, and avers 
that they were large birds very similar to the Emu of the continent. Some 
years afterwards a pair of Tasmanian Emus, which I am of opinion were also 
brought from Kearney’s Bogs, were kept at the Tullochgorum Estate, not far 
from Avoca, and the appearance of these birds, as they ran along the fence of 
their enclosure, near the road, is firmly impressed on my recollection as a boy. 
They were slightly smaller than the average example of D. novce-hollandicB, 
but must, from the accounts given of D, ater of Kangaroo Island, have been 
larger than that bird and much in excess of the species whose osseous remains 
have been lately found in King Island.” 
Colonel Vincent Legget also said “ he recollected two Emus being kept 
at an estate nine miles from Fingal, but did not know what became of them. 
They seemed much shorter birds than the fine ones found elsewhere.” 
Mr. Le Souef J describes an egg in his possession thus : — “ This unique 
specimen was collected about forty years ago in the eastern district of the island, 
and if it is a fair type of their size, these birds must have been slightly smaller 
* Emti, VL,p. 117 (1907). 
f Op. cit.. III., p. 158 (1907). 
J Op. cit.. III., p. 114 (1903). 
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