2C2 



VERTEBRATA. 



tiv.s ami Europeans, for tlie sake of their flesh, that of the young birds being described as very 

 delicate, while that of the old ones is compared to beef. Tluir egy;s also are eaten ; and it is said 

 that during their breeding season, the natives of some parts of Australia live almost entirely upon 

 Emeu's eggs. The old birds arc hunted by trained dogs, which have been taught to avoid the 

 powfrfulkicks of their quarry, by running up alongside of the bird and then springing suddenly 

 upon its neck. They are monogamous, and the males, as in the case of the Rhea, perform the 

 duties of incubation. The eggs are nearly as large as that of the Ostrich, but of a dark color ; 

 and the young, when first hatched, are rather elegantly striped with black and whitish-gray. 



TUB CASSOWARY. 



Genus CASTJARIU S : Casiiarhis. — To this belongs the Cassowary, C. galeatus, an inhabitant 

 of the islands of the Eastern Archipelago. It stands about five feet in height, and is distinguished 

 from the other members of the family by the possession of a peculiar horny crest or helmet upon 

 the head, by the wings being furnished, instead of feathers, with about five cylindrical stalks des- 

 titute of barbs, and by the large size of the claw on the itmer toe. The head and neck are naked 

 and wattled, and these parts are of a bright red color, variegated Avith blue. The body, which is 

 very stout, is covered with long pendent feathers, which resemble hair even more closely than 

 those of the Emeu. It feeds upon fruits, herbage, and seeds, and, like the Ostrich, swallows hard 

 substances, probably to assist the action of the gizzard. The eggs are of a greenish tint. 



The MooRUK, G. Bennetti, is a very curious bird, recently discovered in New Caledonia, and a 

 specimen of which is in the London Zoological Gardens. Its habits are similar to those of the 

 cassowary; it has, however, no horny crest; its cry is Mooruk^ w^heuce its name. Its history is 

 yet very imperfect. 



APTERYGID^. 



Genus AFTER YX: Apteryx. — This includes two species of birds, inhabitants of New Zealand: 

 the A. Australis and A. Oweni. These are distinguished by the elongated slender form of the 

 bill, which bears the nostrils at the tip of the upper mandible, by the comparative shortness of 

 the legs, and the presence of a short hind toe, furnished with a strong claw. The wings are per- 

 fectly rudimentary, and concealed under the feathers, which resemble those of the Emeu. 



