138 REPORT—1874. 
On the Distribution of the Species of Cassowaries. 
By P. L. Scrater, M.A., P.RS., Secretary to the Zoological Society of London. 
After some general observations on the systematic position of Casuarius and of 
its allied form Dromeus, the author proceeded to remark on the great increase in 
our knowledge of the species of the former genus that had recently taken place. 
One species only (the Casuarius galeatus) had been until lately recognized, whereas 
at the present time there was evidence of the existence of at least seven or eight 
distinct species distributed over New Guinea and the adjoining islands. 
The Zoological Society of London had received, on the 27th of May last, a living 
Cassowary which appeared to belong to a species hitherto unrecognized. This bird 
had been obtained at the southern extremity of New Guinea, in the early part of 
1873, by Dr. Haines, the Medical Officer of H.M.S. ‘ Basilisk,’ and brought to 
Sydney, where it remained until February of the present year in the Botanic 
Gardens. Thence it had been brought to England in the ship ‘ Parramatta,’ under 
the care of Mr. Broughton. 
The species, which the author was intending to describe before the Zoological 
Society as Casuarius picticollis, was closely allied to Bennett’s Cassowary (C. Ben- 
netti) and Westerman’s Cassowary (C. Westermani*), and belonged to the same 
section of the genus, distinguishable by the transverse ridge across the helmet and 
the want of caruncles on the neck. 
The author then pointed out the principal characters distinguishing the seven 
species of Cassowary known to him, as shown in the subjoined Table, and made 
remarks on their distribution, which were illustrated by reference to a map of New 
Guinea and the adjoining islands :— 
a, Casse lateraliter compressa’: appendicula cervicis duplici. 
1. C. galeatus, ex Ceram. 
2. C. bicarunculatus, ex inss. Aroensibus. 
3. C. australis, ex Australia. 
b. Casse transversim compressa: appendicula cervicis unica. 
4. C. uniappendiculatus, ex Papua. 
c. Casse transversim compress’: appendicula cervicis nulla. 
5. C. Westermanni, ex Papua. 
6. C. picticollis, ex Papua merid. 
7. C. Bennetti, ex Noy. Britann. 
ANATOMY AND PuystoLoey. 
[For Professor Redfern’s Address see page 96.] 
On the Development of the Elasmobranch Fishes, By F. M. Batrour, B.A. 
The author described some of the more interesting features of the early stages 
in the development of Elasmobranch Fishes, The paper is published in full in the 
Quart. Journal of Micr. Science for October 1874. 
On some Points in the Physiology of the Semicircular Canals of the Ear. 
By Professor Crum Brown, M.D., F.R.S.L£. 
On the Development of the Powers of Thought in Vertebrate Animals in con- 
nexion with the Development of ther Braint. By Jamus Byrne, A.M, 
Dean of Clonfert, and ex-Fellow of Trinity College, Dublin. 
In this paper a minute analysis was applied to the constructive instinct of the 
beaver, and it was shown that that instinct involved thought, but that the thought 
* C. Kaupi, Scl. (olim) nee Rosenb. See Proc. Zool. Soc. 1874, p. 248. 
t Published zm extenso in the ‘Journal of Anatomy and Physiology,’ November 1874. 
