and other shining articles. One day a stranger,
standing close to the fence of a yard where a tame emu was kept, took
out his gold watch to ascertain the time. The bird was attracted by the
glittering object, and with a quick motion he seized it and dropped it
down his throat. Several black fellows were called, who secured the bird
with some difficulty, poured a powerful emetic into his stomach, and
then hung him up by the feet. This heroic treatment had the desired
effect, and restored the watch to its owner.

The eggs of the emu are in demand as great curiosities, and Australian
jewelers work them into various ornamented articles and sell them
readily at a high price. The perpetual hunt for the eggs, which is kept
up by the blacks, is steadily diminishing the number of these birds,
and, in course of time, there is danger that they will become extinct.

Another bird that was seen by our friends, but not captured, is the one
known as the native companion. It is a large bird, belonging to the
crane family. Its head stands about three feet from the ground, its legs
are long, and its plumage is a lavender gray. It is rarely seen alone,
there being generally two of them together, and very often a dozen or
more. In this instance there were two birds, which went away rapidly on
their wings and were soon lost to sight. When there is a large number of
them together, they indulge in a series of evolutions which have a close
resemblance to the movements of accomplished dancers. They advance,
recede, turn, return, and go through a variety of figures like dancers
in the quadrille or the minuet. Sometimes they keep up these
performances for an hour or more, and seem to indulge in them entirely
for the sake of amusement.

Harry asked if they would have an opportunity to see the famous lyre
bird of Australia. "We saw two of them," said he, "in the Zoo at
Melbourne, and therefore, know what their appearance is, but we would
like very much to see them in their wild state."

"The lyre bird is getting very scarce in Australia," said their young
friend, "and I have never seen one in this locality. The bird frequents
mountainous regions where the forests are somewhat dense, and very
rarely comes out into the open plain. It is about the size of an
ordinary barnyard fowl, but looks much larger, owing to its beautiful
tail, which is very long, and grows exactly in the shape of the
instrument after which it is named. It is a very clever mock