THE CASSOWARY. 59 



tines of the cassowary are thirteen times shorter 

 than those of the ostrich. The heart is very 

 small, being but an inch and a half long, and an 

 inch broad at the base. Upon the whole, it has 

 the head of a warrior, the eye of a lion, the de- 

 fence of a porcupine, and the swiftness of a 

 courser. 



Thus formed for a life of hostility, for terrify- 

 ing others, and for its own defence, it might be 

 expected that the cassowary was one of the most 

 fierce and terrible animals of the creation. But 

 nothing is so opposite to its natural character, 

 nothing so different from the life it is contented 

 to lead. It never attacks others ; and instead of 

 the bill, when attacked, it rather makes use of its 

 legs, and kicks like a horse, or runs against its 

 pursuer, beats him down, and treads him to the 

 ground. 



The manner of going of this animal is not less 

 extraordinary than its appearance. Instead of 

 going directly forward, it seems to kick up be- 

 hind with one leg, and then making a bound on- 

 ward with the other, it goes with such prodigious 

 velocity that the swiftest racer would be left far 

 behind. 



The same degree of voraciousness which we 

 perceive in the ostrich, obtains as strongly here. 

 The cassowary swallows every thing that comes 

 within the capacity of its gullet. The Dutch 

 assert that it can devour not only glass, iron, and 

 stones, but even live and burning coals, without 

 testifying the smallest fear, or feeling the least 

 injury. It is said that the passage of the food 



