278 
HUNTING THE EMU 
to frequent. These are covered lightly over with 
small sticks, boughs, &c. and the animal going to 
drink, hops upon them, and falls into the pit with- 
out being able to get out again. I have only known 
this method of taking the kangaroo practised in 
Western Australia, between Swan River and King 
George’s Sound, 
The emu is taken similarly to the kangaroo. It 
is speared in the first, third, and fourth methods I 
have described. It is also netted like the kangaroo, 
indeed with the same net, only that the places se- 
lected for setting it are near the entrance to creeks, 
ravines, flats bounded by steep banks, and any other 
place where the ground is such as to hold out the 
hope, that by driving up the game it may be com- 
pelled, by surrounding scouts, to pass the place 
where the net is set. When caught the old men 
hasten up, and clasping the bird firmly round the 
neck with their arms, hold it or throw it on the 
ground, whilst others come to their assistance and 
despatch it. This is, however, a dangerous feat, 
and I have known a native severely wounded in 
attempting it ; a kick from an emu would break a 
person’s leg, though the natives generally keep so 
close to the bird as to prevent it from doing them 
much harm. 
The emu is frequently netted by night through a 
peculiarity in the habits of the bird, that is well- 
known to the natives, and which is, that it gene- 
rally comes back every night to sleep on one spot 
