THE CASSOWARY. 



THE Cassowary of New South Wales is thus 

 described by Latham: It is blackish; the 

 crown flat ; its body bristly ; its head and neck 

 planted with quills, and its legs serrated behind. 

 The head and beak are much more like 

 those of the Ostrich ; the tongue has a broad 

 root, serrated sides, and pointed top. This bird 

 is exceedingly swift of foot, and strikes severely 

 with its heel when pursued. It frequently mea- 

 sures nearly seven feet when standing erect. 

 Its flesh is said to be similar in flavour to beef. 

 The hen lays a number of eggs, which are 

 rather less than those of the Ostrich ; they are 

 nearly of an oval shape, and of a bottle-green 

 colour. The principal material of the nest is 

 dried fern: it is usually constructed on the 



ground, on the borders of a swamp. 



f 



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