508 THE MOORUK. 



character of the bird, which is tetchy of disposition, and apt to take offence without apparent 

 provocation. Like the bull, it is excited to unreasoning ire at the sight of a scarlet cloth, and, 

 like the dog or the cat, has a great antipathy towards ragged or unclean persons, attacking 

 such individuals with some acerbity merely because their garments or general aspect do not 

 please its refined taste. It is a determined and rather formidable antagonist, turning rapidly 

 about and launching a shower of kicks which can do no small damage, their effect being con- 

 siderably heightened by the sharp claws with which the toes are armed. In the countries 

 which it inhabits, the native warriors are accustomed to use the innermost claw of the Casso- 

 wary' s foot as the head of their spears. 



The food of this bird in a wild state consists of herbage and various fruits, and in captivity 

 it is fed on bran, apples, carrots, and similar substances, and is said to drink nearly half a 

 gallon of water per diem. The eggs are somewhat like those of the rhea, save that their sur- 

 face is more tubercular, and the shades of green more varied. The color of the plumage is 

 black, glossy above, as if made of shining black horsehair, and rather duller below. At the 

 lower part of the neck there are two wattles, and the upper part of the neck is colored with 

 beautiful blue, purple, and scarlet. The legs are feathered. An adult male is about five feet 

 in height. 



THE other species of Cassowary was discovered by Captain Devlin, and, having been taken 

 to Sydney, was there purchased and then brought to Europe by Dr. Bennett, after whom it 

 has been very appropriately named. Its native title is MOORUK, and its home is in the island 

 of New Britain. 



Dr. Bennett's description of the Mooruk is as follows : "The height of the bird is three 

 feet to the top of the back, and five feet when standing erect. Its color is rufous, mixed with 

 black on the back and hinder portions of the body, and raven-black about the neck and breast ; 

 the loose, wavy skin of the neck is beautifully colored with iridescent tints of bluish-purple, 

 pink, and an occasional shade of green, quite different from the red and purple caruncles of 

 the Cassowary ; the feet and legs, which are very large and strong, are of a pale ash color, and 

 exhibit a remarkable peculiarity in the extreme length of the claw of the inner toe of each 

 foot, it being nearly three times the length which it attains in the claws of the other toes. 

 This bird also differs from the Cassowary in having a horny plate instead of a helmet-like pro- 

 tuberance on the top of the head, which callous plate resembles mother-of-pearl darkened with 

 black lead.'' 



The voice of the Mooruk is a kind of whistling chirp. It is a very cleanly bird, keeping 

 its plumage free from stain, and being very fond of washing, lying down to have repeated 

 bncketfuls of water poured over its body, and squatting on the ground in heavy rain. Their 

 proceedings when in captivity are most amusingly told by Dr. Bennett, in his valuable " Gather- 

 ings of a Naturalist in Australasia," and although too long to be entirely inserted, are so 

 interesting and so indicative of the Mooruk' s character, that a portion must find a place in 

 these pages: 



" I succeeded in purchasing the birds. When placed in the yard, they walked about as 

 tame as turkeys. They approached any one who came in, as if desirous of being fed, and 

 were very docile. They began pecking at a bone they foiind lying about (probably not having 

 tasted any meat for some time), and would not, while engaged upon it, touch some boiled 

 potatoes which were thrown to them ; indeed, it was found afterwards that they fed better out 

 of a dish than from the ground, having no doubt been early accustomed to be fed in that 

 manner. They seemed also fond of scraping about the dunghill, and appeared to pick up food 

 from it, probably insects or grubs. They were as familiar as if born and bred among us for 

 years, and did not require time to reconcile them to their new situation, but were sociable and 

 quite at home at once. 



"We found them on the following day rather too tame, or, like spoilt pets, too often in 

 the way. One or both of them would walk into the kitchen, and while one was dodging 

 under the tables and chairs, the other would leap up on the table, keeping the cook in a state 



