Hey Ho back again!

Oz apart from having extremely quick swimmers,runners, etc., has some pretty quick wildlife as well!

The Emu for instance. It cannot fly, A big round head, huge mean looking eyes, monstrous beak,long neck,and below that a football shaped body, long knobbly legs, and big clawed feet!

In the wild they are pretty mean.

Domesticated, they tend to steal your play lunch from your hand,then follow you around giving you the occasional prod." Oi, what have you got in there?"

Whilst walking around they make a odd sound like a low menacing echo like slow drum roll!( Demonstration from teacher please, Stand on one leg, tuck head down,one arm out behind you, the other upwards slightly bent, Hands forming beak shape. Sound. action!!)

There is a song about their running speed called 'Old man Emu' - 'He can run the pants off a kangaroo...' If you can get a copy you will see what I mean. They are very quick! Notice the word quick, instead of fast. Quick is a safe way to go between A and B. Fast is a risky way of doing the same thing. If you have an Emu chase you, one tends to be bloomin' QUICK/FAST!!!!!(100 mtrs in 4.8 seconds!!!)

The Emu hates dogs.They will cheerfully stomp any dog into oblivion. Like my neighbours blue heeler X And they are not what you would call a slouch= Oz slow.

Eagles are right up there as far as speed goes, soaring high in the sky,sometimes hovering. They also have remarkable eyesight. Once they see a prey they fold their wings up and drop like a stone.Opening the wings just when you think they are going to pulverize themselves on the ground. They grab a rabbit and up they go to about 40 feet above some rocky ground, then drop the rabbit onto the rocks. One way to tenderize your tucker I guess!

Another clever bird we have is the Butcher bird. He/she prefers the food to "age" a little. So it brings it's catches back to a tree limb and hangs them there. Once he has say three skinks(Oz lizards),two mice,and maybe a couple(how many is that?) of small snakes, he sits and guards them until they "pong" a bit then he eats them!! He has a beautiful bird song something like a black bird( Teach will demo in a mo!)

Got to go, I need more wood for the fire!! Youse(Oz= You are.) Lucky ducks!! See you Gerry.