298 PYGMIES AND PAPUANS 



have a large elevated casque or helmet and differ chiefly 

 in the pattern and colouration of the bare neck-wattles. 



These Cassowaries were seen at various times search- 

 ing for food in the pools and shallow waters of the 

 river-beds, and during the cross-country marches would 

 sometimes dash across the trail, affording but a momen- 

 tary glimpse. 



The natives have distinct names for the male and 

 female birds and judging from the quantities of feathers 

 in their possession must often succeed in capturing them. 

 Eggs and newly-hatched chicks were brought in during 

 January and February. On one occasion at Parimau 

 some eggs must have been kept by the natives for a few 

 da5^s before they hatched, for young were brought to the 

 camp which had evidently just emerged from the shells. 



A very interesting discovery was made by Mr. Claude 

 Grant on the foot-hills, where he met with a new dwarf 

 species of Cassowary, C. claudii. It is allied to C. papu- 

 anus^ but has the hind part of the crown and occiput 

 black instead of white. Like that bird it has a low 

 triangular casque and belongs to a different section of 

 the genus from the two larger species already mentioned. 



C. claudii has very brihiantly coloured soft parts. 

 The occiput and sides of the head are entirely black ; 

 between the gape and the ear is a patch of deep plum- 

 colour ; the upper half of the back of the neck is electric- 

 blue, shading into violet-blue on the sides and fore-part 

 of the neck including the throat ; the lower half of the 

 back of the neck is orange-chrome, this colour extending 

 down the upper margin of a bare magenta-coloured area 

 situated on each side of the feathered part of the neck. 

 This fine bird is now mounted and on exhibition in the 

 Bird Gallery at the Natural History Museum. 



