Dr. G. Bennett on a new Cassoivarij. 403 



to us a drawing, by a native artist, of the type-specimen of his 

 Casuarius uno-appendiculatus, which was lately living in the 

 Babu Rajendra Mullick's menagerie at Calcutta. There can be 

 no doubt, upon comparison of these two drawings, of the identity 

 of the two birds. The Calcutta bird is evidently the older, the 

 casque being better developed, and the yellow colour extending 

 over the back of the neck, whereas in the Amsterdam specimen 

 this part appears to be covered with short feathers. — Ed.] 



"Athenaeum Club, Aug. 17th, l^fiO. 



"My dear Sir, — During a visit to the Zoological Gardens of 

 Amsterdam, on the 10th of this month, I observed a living spe- 

 cimen of a Cassowary, differing in many characters from any of 

 the hitherto known species. It appears to be about half-grown, 

 being of about the same size as the last two Mooruks when I 

 sent them to the Zoological Gardens in the Regent's Park ; and 

 the casque is not yet developed. The cheeks are of a bluish- 

 green colour; the throat circled, and of a bright ochreous yellow, 

 terminating in a single wattle. On each side of the neck there 

 is a bare space, also of a bright ochreous colour with a slight 

 crimson tinge. In general appearance the bird otherwise re- 

 sembles the Common Cassowary of about the same age. These 

 characters accord so nearly with those of the bird mentioned 

 by Mr. Blyth as living in the menagerie of the Babu Rajendra 

 Mullick at Calcutta, as to induce me to regard ic as probably of 

 the same species. 



" On the label of the bird at Amsterdam is written ' Casuarius 

 u7ii-appendiculatus,}Myih : Geelbif Casuarius. Ship "Agatha and 

 Maria," from Molucca Islands,' without designating any island 

 in particular; so that its true habitat is unknown. Mr. G. F. 

 Westerman, the able Director of the Gardens at Amsterdam, 

 observing the interest I took in this new bird, kindly had the 

 enclosed drawing (see Plate XIV.) made for me, which conveys 

 an excellent representation of the bird. When the published 

 description of Mr. Blyth, together with a drawing, arrives in 

 England, it will be decided whether his bird is identical with the 

 example alive at Amsterdam. There appears to be every pro- 

 bability that such is likely to be the case. 



" I remain, yours &c., 



"George Bexnett." 



