GIIALLATORES. 207 



blue and scarlet, which give the bird a very beautiful appear- 

 ance. The first and indeed the only specimen obtained 

 of the Australian Cassowary was unfortunately left at Wey- 

 mouth Bay, and has not been recovered. Mr. Wall, being 

 most anxious for its preservation, had secured it in a canvas 

 bag and carried it with him to the spot where, unfortunately 

 for science, it was lost. In the ravine where the bird was 

 killed, as well as other deep and stony valleys of that neigh- 

 bourhood, it was seen running in companies of seven or eight. 

 On that part of the north-eastern coast, therefore, it is probably 

 plentiful, and will be met with in all the deep gullies at the base 

 of high hills. The flesh was eaten, and found to be delicious ; 

 a single leg afforded more substantial food than ten or twelve 

 hungry men could dispose of at a single meal. The bird 

 possesses great strength in its legs, and makes use of it in the 

 same manner as the Emu. Its whole build is more strong 

 and heavy than the latter bird. It is very wary, but its pre- 

 sence may be easily detected by its utterance of a peculiarly 

 loud note, which is taken up and echoed along the gullies ; 

 and it could be easily killed with a rifle." 



The above account was furnished by Mr. Thomas Wall's 

 brother, Mr. William Sheridan Wall, Curator of the Australian 

 Museum. 



Family OTIDID^. 



A country better adapted than Australia for the members 

 of this family can scarcely be imagined ; yet, singularly 

 enough, only one species has yet been found there. Africa 

 is the country where the species are most numerous. 



Genus CHORIOTIS, Bonaparte. 



The Choriotis edwardsi, of the plains of Upper India, and 

 the C. australis are beautiful representatives of each other in 

 their respective countries. 



