CASSO WARIES. 



565 



Habits. 



In being forest-haunting birds, cassowaries differ essentially from 

 the ostriches and rheas ; and appear to be generally shy and but 

 seldom seen in their native haunts. Unfortunately, however, we are still in want 

 of good accounts of the habits of these birds in their wild state. Those brought to 

 Europe (where they will lay freely) are characterised by their extreme tameness 

 and docility ; but this, it is said, is largely due to their being mostly, if not in- 

 variably, specimens which have been reared from early chickenhood in captivity 

 by the natives, among whom these birds are treated almost like domestic fowls. 

 The Australian 

 species is reported 

 to frequent rocky 

 wooded districts, 

 where as many 

 as seven or eight 

 may be seen to- 

 gether, keeping 

 almost entirely 

 to the more open 

 portion of the 

 scrub, and seldom 

 venturing out 

 into the plains. 

 From July to 

 September, at 

 least, it is known 

 to feed chiefly 

 upon an egg- 

 shaped blue 

 berry ; and its 

 entire food is 

 probably of a 

 vegetable nature. 

 Regarding the 

 muruk, Bennett 



was informed that the natives of New Britain capture these birds "when very 

 young, soon after they are hatched, and rear them by hand, but can rarely or 

 never capture the adult, from its being so shy and difficult of approach. They 

 are exceedingly swift of foot, and possessed of great strength in their legs. On 

 the least alarm they elevate the head, and, on seeing danger, dart among the 

 thick bushes, thread localities where no human being can follow them, and dis- 

 appear with incredible rapidity. The muruk, with its powerful legs and muscular 

 thighs has an extraordinary power of leaping." This species utters a kind of 

 chirping cry, susceptible of modulations according to the occasion. Unlike the 

 emeu, which kicks outwards and backwards, cassowaries invariably kick forwards, 

 at the same time elongating their bodies ; in captivity they will not unfrequently 

 perform a kind of war-dance around any object that attracts their attention, 



SKULL OF AUSTRALIAN CASSOWARY. 



(From Sir W. H. Flower, Proc. Zool. Soc., 1871.) 



