t I ever heard. Its nest is only a shallow hole
scraped in the ground, and in this hollow the eggs, which vary in
number, are laid. Dr. Bennett remarks that "There is always an odd
number, some nests having been discovered with nine, others with
eleven, and others again with thirteen." When fresh they are of a
beautiful green colour, and are in much request for mounting in silver
as drinking cups; but after a little while the colour changes to a
dirty brownish green. One peculiarity about the next is, that the
parent bird never goes straight up to it, but walks round and round in
a narrowing circle, of which the nest is the centre. I once caught
seven little emus, only just out of the shell; but shutting them up for
the night in an empty room, I was horrified the next morning to find
that they had all been killed by rats. The young ones have four broad
longitudinal stripes down the back, which disappear as they grow up.
The emu is easily domesticated, and on many cattle and sheep stations
tame specimens are funning about the paddocks. To my mind they are an
intolerable nuisance, always doing some mischief--either frightening
the horses, or stealing things from the workmen. I saw one cured of
his thievish propensities for a long time. He always loafed about the
kitchen when dinner was being served, and if the cook turned his back
for a moment, his long neck was thrust through the window, and anything
within reach--from an onion to a salt-spoon--disappeared with
marvellous celerity. But my friend caught a tartar when he bolted two
scalding potatoes, steaming from the pot. He rushed round and round
the little paddock, and at last dropped down as if dead, from pain and
fatigue. Poor wretch, he must have suffered dreadfully; and I am sure
we all pitied him, except the cook, whose patience he had quite worn
out.

Out sable allies were gratified beyond measure when we presented them
with the game, and a great feast took place that evening. We neglected
no opportunity of gaining information about both the shipwrecked crew
and the unknown white man, whose grave we were to visit on the
following morning. Through Lizzie we questioned different individuals
separately, but they all agreed that such an event as the loss of a
vessel and the arrival of her crew amongst the blacks, could not
possibly have happened without their hearing something of it. From
their imperfect knowledge of time, and their difficulty in express