The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-10-15
HUMAN INcuBAToRs.


u H4
How Some Emu Eggs Were Saved and ssM'
Hens Eggs We're Matched.
Among the latest acquisitions Of the OF
astrological department. In the museum o
natural history Mt South Kensington il
very handsome emu In perfect plumage
presented by tho Rev. George Keightley
vicar of 6~tambCidge, In Essex, to whom til,
museum was already indebted for another
fne specimen Of these strange Australian
birds. Both had been pets for upward OF
Is years.. says Miss Gordon Cumming In the
columns Of a contemi4 rary, having been
brought from the antipodes, and their sue
cessive deaths have bean somewhat IN the
nature Of family bereavementA The first
died from natural causes, but the last was
due to an unfortunate accident, some bull
locks having broken into the emu's paddock
and chased him, even following him into
his shed. The poor bird probably died
partly from terror. The emu is naturally
very timid, and this n was almost blind,
rs one eye had been destroyed by u clod Of
earth thrown at him by u carter, who de-
clared that the emu's approach frightened
his horses. The other eye suffered In SYM
pathy.
A curious incident in the life Of this
lonely bird is worth recording. The death
of his companion left him very disconso-
late, and after awhile he seemed to sicken.
His compassionate mistress brought dain-
ties to tempt his appetite, also q daily jar
Of water. Again and again she remon-
strated against some tiresome or cruel UNI
known person who always carried of the
jar, leaving the poor bird without water.
Finally Mr.. Emu retired into his shed,
folded up his long legs and sat down, ut
terly refusing to come out till his master,
convinced that the bright sunshine would
do him good, lifted him ont by main force.
There, beneath the bird, were all the miss
ing gallipotsl
The conscientious emu, convinced that
he ought to be fulfilling his destiny by
Matching some eggs, and having no wife to
lay any for him, had substituted the nice,
smooth, round jars which he had distracted
day by day. OF course his wife's eggs
would have been dark green, but, as the
French philosopher said, when we have
not what WI like, we must like what We
have!' So he made the most of what he
could get.
An amusing story is told concerning q
setting of six or seven emu's eggs laid in
Berkshire. The father, having set diligent-
~ for six weeks, unfortunately died just o
week before the chicks were Matched. Ar
engagements were made by telegraph for the
of the eggs to the care Of another
emit in the geological gardens in London,
but there was grave anxiety lestthey should
,ool in the interval ere the foster father was
to receive them. AS no patent incu-
was available suitable for such huge
.'ggs-they are about the size Of an os-
rich's-an enthusiastic lady took them
nto her nice warm bed, and there re
NAMED, lnothering them till the last mo-
nent before the train started which on
them to the ZOO, where they were
luly Matched a few days later.
That lady's devotion reminds me Of what
vas told me by another lady, who when re-
GENTLY travelling in the south Of France,
halted at a farm where the careful peasant
wife thus utilized her fat, bedridden hus-
band, who was SO unwieldy as to be unable
20 turn in bed. BY alternate scolding and
she persuaded him TODD duty as an
Incubator and to lie very still, Matching
eggs for market by the natural warmth Of
his body! So there he lay with half a dozen
eggs under each arm, afraid to make the
movement, and thus he had actu-
ally succeeded in Matching several coveys
an achievement of which he was half
proud and half shy! Of course, in this case
the eggs were those of common domestic
Observation-Disclosures Times.