344 BIRDS OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE. 



the long neck can be extended upwards to a height of 

 five feet or thereabouts. 



The cassowaries have three toes, of which the inner one 

 is armed with a formidable nail ; needless to observe, these 

 birds run with great swiftness, and but little is known of 

 their habits in the wild state. 



In confinement they are described as very active and 

 somewhat noisy, while they must be extremely hardy, for 

 some of them have survived for a long time in a place 

 utterly unsuitable, as it is damp and sunless, and they are 

 in the open air, practically — for they do not seem to use the 

 miserable shcils provided for their accommodation — both 

 day and night, and at all .seasons of the year. 



Like the ostrici), the cassowaries will swallow any 

 object of available size that comes within their reach, 

 whether digestible or not. 



Family — CasnariidiV. 

 Genus — 

 1. Casuariiis. C. australis. Australian Cassowary. 



C. beccari. Beccari's Cassowary. 



C. nniappcjidicti- 



latiis. One-wattled Cassowary. 



C. wcsteruianiii. Westermann's Cassowary. 

 C. picticollis. Painted-necked Casso- 



wary. 

 2. Droinaus. D.uovce holia}idke.'E,mQ\x, or Emu. 



The Emu, or Emeu, used at one time to be extremely 

 common in all parts of Australia, but in the settled districts 

 it has been practically exterminated by " Sunday shooters," 

 who could not resist the temptation of "potting" game 



