102 CASSOWARY. 



THE CASSOWARY. 



NEXT to the ostrich, this is one of the largest and 

 heaviest of the feathered creation. It is about five feet 

 and a half from the point of the bill to the extremity of 

 the claws. The wings are, in a great measure, concealed 

 under the feathers of the back, and are so small as to be 

 almost imperceptible. Hence it may be concluded, that 

 the Cassowary does not use them in flight ; and its plumage 

 is of one kind, and externally of the same colour. Each 

 feather is generally double, having two long shafts 

 proceeding from a short socket, fixed in the skin. These 

 double feathers are always of unequal length, some being 

 fourteen inches long, and others only three. 



The most remarkable part, however, of the Cassowary 

 is the head, which is armed with a kind of helmet of a 

 horny substance, extremely hard, and capable of resisting 

 a violent blow. The eyes are of a bright yellow : and, in 

 short, the whole conformation is strikingly majestic. It 

 has the head of a warrior, the eye of a lion, the defence of 

 a porcupine, and the swiftness of a courser. Yet, though 

 endowed with powers, apparently formidable, for its own 

 defence, it never atttacks other birds : and, when pursued, 

 it either kicks like a horse, or overturns its assailant by 

 running against him, and treading him under foot. It 

 moves with astonishing celerity, but in the most awkward 

 form imaginable, swallows up every thing without distinc- 

 tion that comes within its reach, and what it cannot digest, 

 it voids unaltered without injury to itself. 



THE PEACOCK. 



No expressions could do justice to the beauty of this 

 bird, where it necessary to enter into a detail of its superb 

 tints ; but fortunately it is too well known to require a 

 long description. When it appears with its tail expanded, 

 none of the feathered creation can vie with it in elegance 

 and magnificence ; but the harsh scream of its voice 

 diminishes the pleasure received from its brilliance ; while 



