126 HON. W. ROTHSCHILD ON THE GENUS CASUARIUS. 



with the habits of this noble bird. In 1872 I had sent my collector, Edward Spalding, 

 to this district for this purpose, but with very poor results. 



" While in Brisbane on my way up I purchased by telegram a fine young living 

 specimen, the first that had been obtained and reared, and ultimately succeeded in 

 bringing it alive to Sydney and shipping it to the Society, where I am glad to hear it 

 arrived safely. I found also that several very young Cassowaries had been obtained, 

 and, for the first time, a nest and eggs had been found. This was great news ; and I 

 need not relate how I made all haste to the Herbert River Police Camp, where I was 

 most hospitably entertained and welcomed by Inspector Johnstone, who was the first 

 to rediscover and bring under the notice of others the existence of this remarkable 

 species. I found Inspector Johnstone a true sportsman, as well as an ardent lover of 

 nature, a zealous and energetic naturalist, and a careful observer. I am indebted to 

 this gentleman for much valuable information respecting the manners and customs 

 of the aborigines, and notes on the habits of many birds and animals new to me, and 

 especially for information on the present species. 



" The Australian Cassowary is a denizen of the dense dark scrubs scattered over the 

 district of Rockingham Bay, and extending as far north as the Endeavour River. It 

 was tolerably plentiful only a few years ago even in the neighbourhood of Cardwell ; 

 but since the advent of sugar-planters, etc. on the Herbert River and adjacent creeks, 

 these fine birds have been most ruthlessly shot down and destroyed for the sake of their 

 skins, several of which I saw used for hearth-rugs and door-mats. Formerly they were 

 easily enough procured ; but latterly so wary have they become, and their numbers so 

 decreased, that it is only with the greatest amount of patience that even a stray shot 

 can be obtained. I know of no bird so wary and timid ; and although their fresh tracks 

 may be plentiful enough, and easily found in the soft mud on the sides of the creeks 

 or under their favourite feeding-trees, yet the birds themselves are seldom now seen. 

 During the day they remain in the most dense parts of the scrubs, wandering about 

 the sides of the watercourses and creeks, diving in through the bushes and vines at 

 the slightest noise. Toward evening and early in the morning they usually visit 

 their favourite feeding-trees, such as the native figs, Leichardt-trees, and various 

 species of Acmena, Jambosa, Davidsonia, &c. ; they appear to be particularly fond of 

 the astringent fruit of the Leichardt-trees and of a species of Maranta, which produce 

 bunches of large seed-pods filled with juicy pulp, resembling in appearance the inside 

 of a ripe passion-fruit {Passiflora edulis). Fruits and berries of all kinds are eagerly 

 sought after ; the tame semiadult bird which I had the pleasure of forwarding to the 

 Society (1875) became so fond of the fruit of the Cape-Mulberry that he would allow 

 no one to come near the tree he had taken possession of. This bird has frequently 

 devoured at a time as much as three quarts of ' loquats ' (fruit of Eriobotria japonica), 

 and several fair-sized oranges ivhole, besides its usual amount of bread per diem (about 

 3 pounds). In nature, I found that in the afternoons they frequently came out and 



