TASMANIAN EMU. 
than the Australian race, and it would be interesting to know the dimensions 
of any other authentic eggs that may still be in existence (excepting the one in 
Mr. J. W. Mellor’s collection, mentioned in Mr. Campbell’s Nests and Eggs, 
p. 1069). The granulations on a lighter ground appear finer than those on eggs 
from the mainland, and the egg is very dark green in colour ; it measures 
4.85 by 3.40 inches.” 
In 1904 Mr. Le Souef came to the conclusion that the Tasmanian Emu 
was really distinct from the typical Z>. novce-hollandice, and he founded the name 
of DromcBus diemenensis on the egg in his collection.* This would not in itself 
have been considered sufficient grounds for establishing a species, as there were 
no characters given of the bird, but during his visit to London in 1907 
Mr. Le Souef visited the Natural History Museum, wherein exist two skins of 
the Tasmanian Emu, presented by the late Ronald Gunn in 1838.t 
These two specimens were fortunately never mounted. Count SalvadoriJ 
has united the Tasmanian Emu with the Australian species, but on examining 
the series of skins in the museum, Mr. Le Souef at once found that the Tasmanian 
birds had white throats, without any sign of black, as in D. novce-hollandice, 
and he was therefore able to show that his name of D. diemenensis was justified, 
and the species must henceforth be known by the name which he proposed in 
1904, and confirmed in the Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club (XXI., p. 13, 
1907). 
The Rev. T. J. Ewing§ considered the Tasmanian bird identical with the 
mainland one. 
As Ronald Gunn’s specimens were presented as early as 1838 it may be 
taken for granted that they represent the Emu indigenous to Tasmania. 
Lieutenant Ch. Jeffreys, in an account of the hunting and slaughter of these 
birds, says : — “ Early in the morning their sport commences, and it is not unusual 
for the dogs to start flocks of birds and kangaroos consisting of seventy or 
eighty of each of the kinds above mentioned.” 1| 
Again Widowson writes : — “ The birds that may be termed game are [not] 
very numerous, with the exception of the Emu, or native ostrich . . . tljiey leave 
the mountains to feed in the plains, and are sometimes caught by the Kangaroo 
dogs.”^ 
Backhouse gives the following information regarding their former abun- 
dance : — On July 21st, 1834, “ we visited Hugh and Mary Germain, in their 
* Gat. Austr. B. Eggs and Nests, p. 23 (1904). 
f That the late R. Gunn was interested, in this bird is proved by his remarks and by his taking the trouble 
to preserve and send to England two such large skins. 
X Catalogue of Birds Brit. Mus., Vol. XXVII., p. 588 (1895). 
§ Catalogue of the Birds of Tasmania, Tasm. Journ., Part I., p. 57 (1841). 
II Van Diemen's Land, p. 100 (1820). 
^ Widowson, Present State of Van Diemen's Land, p. 181 (1829). 
17 
