APPENDIX. 563 



the extreme length of the claw of the inner toe on each foot, it 

 being nearly three times the length which obtains in the 

 claws of the other toes. This bird, which is immature, 

 differs from the Casuarius galeatiis in having a horny plate 

 instead of a helmet-like protuberance on the top of the head, 

 which callous plate has the character of, and resembles, mo- 

 ther-of-pearl darkend with black lead : the form of the bill 

 differs considerably from that of the Emu {Dromaius Nova;- 

 lioUandia) , being narrower, longer, and more curved, and 

 having a black and leathery cere at the base ; behind the 

 plate of the head is a small tuft of black hair-like feathers, 

 which are continued in greater or lesser abundance over most 

 parts of the neck." 



In Dr. Bennett's next communication, direct to the Society, 

 he says : — 



" On the 26th of October, 1858, the ' Oberon ' cutter of 

 forty-eight tons arrived in Sydney, having two fine young 

 specimens of the ' Mooruk ' on board, stated to be male and 

 female. Captain Devlin informed me he had had them eight 

 months, that he procured them soon after his arrival at New 

 Britain, and since that time had been trading about the 

 islands. They were about half the size of the specimens 

 sent to England last year. He also told me that the 

 natives capture them when very young, and rear them by 

 hand. The old birds are very swift of foot, and possess great 

 strength in the legs ; on the least alarm they elevate the head, 

 and, seeing danger, dart among the thick bush, thread about 

 in localities where no human being could follow them, and 

 disappear like magic. Their powers of leaping are very ex- 

 traordinary. It was from this circumstance the first bird 

 brought from New Britain was lost : from its habit of leaping 

 it one day made a spring on the deck and went overboard ; it 

 was blowing a strong breeze at the time, and the bird per- 

 ished. I succeeded in purchasing these birds ; and Captain 

 Slater, the present commander of the ' Oberon,' brought 



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