34 



NEORNITHES RATITAE 



CHAP. 



Middle and South New Guinea, has the front and top of the casque 

 black, its sides greenish, and its back yellowish ; the head is grey- 

 blue, the throat and sides of the neck are blue, the hind-neck is red 

 and orange, a yellow streak running across to the mandible; a bare 

 space on each side of the base of the neck is ilesh-coloured, and the 

 long single neck-wattle of the same colour is somewhat deeply 

 divided at the tip. 



Of the second group, C. uniappendiculatus (Fig. 10), of Sala- 

 watti and the adjoining parts of New Guinea, has the head, throat, 

 and nape blue, the lower portion of the neck and the median pear- 

 shaped caruncle yellow, the casque dusky olive, and a longitudinal 

 naked space towards the sides of the neck flesh-coloured with a 

 yellow margin. C. occijntcdis of Jobi Island is distinguished 

 from the last-named by a large occipital spot of yellow and a 

 paler helmet ; while the remaining three forms have no wattle at 

 alL Of these, C. papuanus, of North-East New Guinea, has a 

 dusky black casque, blue head, throat, and fore-neck, grey-green 

 occiput and auricular region, and orange hind-neck changing into 

 rosy flesh-colour towards the sides. C. piicticollis of South-East 

 New Guinea has a black helmet, grey-blue occiput, violet-blue 

 nape, pale blue hind-neck, red throat and longitudinal space on 

 the sides of the lower neck ; C. hennetti of New Britain differing 

 in having the head and neck of an almost uniform blue. 

 Nestling Cassowaries are clothed in rusty brow^i, relieved by 

 darker stripes ; at a later period they become more tawny, and 

 the black plumage begins to appear ; but a few hair-like feathers 

 remain on the head for some time, while the helmet is very 

 gradually developed from a flat Coot-like shield, though the 

 gaudy colours of the neck and wattles are assumed much earlier.^ 



All the species of this family inhabit wooded country, com- 

 monly of the densest description, though often found in more 

 open scrub and in the neighbourhood of creeks and watercourses. 

 Naturally shy but inquisitive, they have been rendered doubly 

 wary by man's persecution since their haunts have been invaded 

 by colonists. They dislike the sun, and emerge from cover only 

 in the morning and evening, seeking their favourite spots, where 

 they feed chiefly on fiillen fruit, varying this diet with insects 

 a,nd crustaceans. Berries, leaf- buds, and bulbs are, however, 

 also eaten, with grit and pebbles for digestive purposes, and in 



1 Cf. E. P. Ramsay, P.Z.S. 1876, p. 122. 



i 



