EMU. 
by Nodder, from the one published in Phillip’s book, as the figure in the 
Naturalists’ Miscellany"" is very similar to that given in White’s Journal. 
Latham’s description of the “ New Holland Cassowary ” is apparently 
founded on the description given by PhiUip, and in his account of the genus 
Casuarius^ he gives it the name of C. novce-JiollandicB. LaterJ he refers to 
the above account as Struthio novce-hollandice, but he never employed this 
name before. He must also later on have examined the original specimen of the 
Emu sent to England by Governor Phillip, as he says that a fine specimen of this 
bird is in the collection of the late Mr. John Hunter. 
Collins§ says that three Emus were sent on board the “ Buffalo,” which 
sailed from New South Wales on October 21st, 1800, and arrived at 
Spithead on May 24th, 1801. These birds, which were the first sent alive to 
England, were given by Lieutenant William Kent to Sir Joseph Banks, and 
were liberated in the Earl of Exeter’s park at Burleigh. 
From the account given by Leichhardt || it would appear that his expedition 
would have been unable to reach Port Essington had it not been for the supply 
of Emu meat. The Emus, he says, used to come up in their inquisitive way, 
and on November 24th, 1844, the black boy struck at one with his tomahawk, 
another was shot with dust-shot later on. By suspending the skins on sticks 
before a gentle fire Leichhardt extracted an oil, which he describes as of a light 
yellowish colour, tasteless, and almost free from scent. When he was tired he 
rubbed himself with this oil and found it most beneficial. The stomach of one 
bird killed on this expedition was full of the leaves of a small plant resembling 
chickweed, which grew round the water-holes ; they were also seen eating nonda 
fruit, and north of the Van Diemen’s River, when the nonda tree disappeared, 
the birds fed on the fruit of the severn-tree,|[ which is so excessively bitter as to 
impart its quality to the meat, and even to the very marrow. 
Sturt** says that Emus “ travel many miles during a single night, to water, 
as was proved by a pack of thirteen coming down to the Depot creek to drink, 
that we had seen the evening before more than twelve miles to the north.” 
Mr. Dudley Le Souef sends me the following note : — “ The Emus vary 
considerably in size and length of leg, and in colour. When the young lose their 
down towards the end of the first year, the succeeding feathers are fine and 
silky, and are frequently more or less barred, which produces a spotted 
appearance. Even in the same clutch some birds will have their feathers barred 
* Published by Shaw and Nodder (April, 1792). 
t Ind. Orn., IL, p. 665 (1790). 
X Supplement II. to the General Synopsis of Birds, p. 290 (1801). 
§ An Account of the English Colony in New South Wales, Vol. II., p. 306 (1802). 
II Journal of an Overland Expedition to Port Essington (1847). 
^ I have noticed the Emus eating this in Queensland. 
Expedition to Central Australia, Vol. II., p. 47 (1849). 
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