116 
EMU OR CASSOWARY. 
death, in order to tear them in pieces, but at last 
took to trampling even sheep to death. 
The Cassowary and Emu in many respects resemble 
the Ostrich, differing from him chiefly in the plumage, 
which, in the former, partakes more of the nature of 
hair or bristles, than of feathers. They are lively 
birds, and frisk and dance away when roused, when 
they look very like a woolly cushion, on the top of 
two poles. Like the Ostrich, they are stupid, and 
like it, also run with amazing swiftness ; so much so, 
that it is very difficult to run them down, unless by 
the swiftest dogs, and by them only in an open 
country. They defend themselves by kicking with 
their powerful legs, and the blow is quite sufficient to 
stun a dog, or even at times to fracture a mans leg; 
accordingly, dogs trained for hunting them, always 
approach the running bird, not immediately in its 
rear, but a little on one side, so as to turn and seize 
it by the body. 
In the Emu of New Holland, there is also a very 
curious internal bag, or pouch, connected with the 
windpipe, but having no communication with the 
other air-cells ; its use is not exactly known, but it 
has been ingeniously conjectured, that in a country 
like New Holland, parts of which are particularly 
exposed to sudden floods, the sandy plains in the 
interior are inundated, and the Emus, in seeking 
their food amongst, or attempting to escape from 
these marshes, must be often obliged to have re- 
course to swimming ; which, considering their weight, 
would be difficult, were it not for the power of filling 
this pouch with air, and thus keeping their heads 
and necks above water. That this is correct, we have 
