THE CASSOWARY. 165 



attacking and destroying others, he seldom fights, ex- 

 cept in his own defence, and then does not make use 

 of his bill, but kicks like a horse, or runs against his 

 pursuer, and having beat him to the ground, treads 

 him under his feet. 



The first Cassowary ever seen in Europe, was 

 brought by the Dutch from the island of Java, about 

 the beginning of the seventeenth century. This bird 

 was shewn at Amsterdam as a great curiosity, and 

 was afterwards presented to the emperor of Germany, 

 as a rarity proper to be given to a great prince. Ma- 

 ny years after this, another bird of the same kind was 

 sent from Madagascar by the governor of that Island, 

 to the king of France, and lived four years after its 

 arrival. Since that time, these birds have often been 

 exhibited in Europe and America ; and at the present 

 day are not uncommon. 



Like the elephant and ostrich, the Cassowary has 

 never been known to raise its young, out of their na- 

 tive country. 



A Cassowary, which a few years since was kept at 

 Paris, eat every day about four pounds of bread, six 

 or seven apples, and a bunch of currants. It swallow- 

 ed all its fuod without chewing or bruising, and drank 

 from four to five pints of water daily. 



This bird was sometimes ill-natured and mischiev- 

 ous. He was angry when he saw any person ragged, 

 dirty, or dressed in red clothes, and would vent his 

 spite at such persons, by kicking at them with his feet, 

 and in that way would give very hard, and even dan- 

 gerous blows. 



In the wild state, these birds lay three or four eggs, 

 15* 



