THE OSTRICH AND ITS KINDRED 
1 1 
Photo by Scholastic Photo, Co.] 
YOUNG EMEUS 
[Parson's Green 
After a few weeks the black and white stripes become much less conspicuous 
pouch comes tc lie between this tube 
and the skin. Strangely enough, it 
is found only in the female, and is 
used by her chiefly during the 
breeding-season, when she utters a 
peculiarly loud booming note, which, 
it is supposed, is caused by the 
manipulation of the air in the pouch. 
When moved by any gentle excite- 
ment or pleasure, especially on damp 
evenings or in the dead of night, she 
also becomes musical, giving forth a 
note which has been likened to a 
gong or muffled drum. The male, 
which is smaller, fleeter of foot, and 
more docile and inquisitive, is mute, 
or at most gives forth a suppressed 
hiss when angry, or a kind of grunt 
when distressed. 
At one time the emeu roamed over the whole of the mainland of Australia ; but now, alas ! 
it is almost exterminated, being found only far inland and in steadily diminishing numbers. 
Swift of foot and of great powers of endurance, the emeu has afforded in the past much “ sport” 
to the hunting-man, who followed the dogs, doubtless making comparisons the while between 
his two-legged prey and his four-footed 
friend Reynard. The hunt does not end 
till the bird is thoroughly exhausted, 
when it must be seized at once by the 
neck, in order to prevent it kicking, for 
the legs are so powerful that a blow 
from the foot is dangerous. 
Incubation is apparently performed 
by the male, which sits from fifty-four 
to sixty-four days. Practically no nest 
is made, only a shallow hollow being 
scraped in the sand. The eggs, from 
seven to thirteen in number, are of 
a dark bottle-green colour, sometimes 
lighter, and have the surfaces curiously 
roughened. The male is smaller than 
the female, a fact which has led to 
some confusion, the larger female having 
at one time been regarded as the male. 
It will be noted that the emeus not 
only lack thebrilliantcolour of the casso- 
waries, but also the helmet, or casque. 
The late Mr. Gould’s remarks on 
the edibility of the emeu are inter- 
esting. He says: “ Its flesh has been 
compared to coarsebeef, which it resem- 
bles, according to Mr. Cunningham, 
both in appearance and taste, and is 
£^oodandsweeteating ; nothing. indeed. 
Phulo by J. T. Ntwman] 
[^Berihanijted 
EMEU 
Tie feathers of the neck of the emeu are much longer than in the rhea j hence the 
neck seems shorter 
