303 cassell's book of birds. 



compnratively slender build, weaker feet, longer toes, and the spots upon its plumage. This species 

 differs from the Dromceus NovcE-Hollandia in having the whole of the body-feathers distinctly 

 marked with narrow transverse bars of light grey and brownish black ; the feathers on the back and 

 sides are broader, longer, and less silky in texture than those of the common kind, the latter difference 

 being quite evident to the touch. The upper part of the body and the neck are nearly black, and 

 the feathers appear thicker than those on the same parts in the other species. " Having seen," says 

 Mr. Gould, " adult and youthful examples of this Emu, all bearing the characters which suggested its 

 specific name, I have no doubt of its being distinct from the D. NovcE-Hoilandia:. I am almost 

 equally certain that it is confined to the western division of Australia, and that it represents there the 

 Emu of the eastern coast. Whether the two species incubate in South Australia, and if the present 

 bird extends its range to north and north-west, future research must determine." 



The CASSOWARIES {Casuarii) are distinguishable from the group above described by their 

 compact body, short thick neck, low but powerful legs, as also by the helmet that adorns their head, 

 the peculiarity of their plumage, and the formation of their beak and toes. In these birds the bill is 

 straight, compressed at its sides, arched at its culmen, slightly hooked at its tip, and incised at both 

 margins ; the small, oval-shaped nostrils are situated at the extremity, and the elevated, compressed 

 helmet at the base of the beak ; the neck, which is bare and brightly coloured on its upper portion, 

 is furnished with either one or two lappets ; the wings consist of five strong, unwebbed, and rounded 

 shafts; the tail is not developed; the long robust tarsi are covered with hexagonal scales except near 

 the toes, where the scales are transverse. The lateral toes are longer than the middle one, and the 

 outer toe longest of all ; the claws are moderate and blunt, that on the centre toe very long and 

 powerful. The plumage resembles hair rather than feathers, the webs being disunited and streaming. 

 Five, or according to Gould six, species of these remarkable birds have been discovered, but with 

 three of them we are almost entirely unacquainted ; even the habitat of the C. uniappatdiadaius and 

 C. bicanmculaUts is uncertain. We also know nothing of the C. Kattpii, the type of the race, except 

 that it was found by Rosenberg in New Guinea, and called by him after Kaup the naturalist. 



THE HELMETED CASSOWARY. 

 The Helmeted Cassowary {Casuarius gakatus) is principally black, the face greenish blue, and 

 the back of the head grey ; the front of the neck is violet, its sides blue, and its hinder portion bright 

 red. The eye is reddish brown, the beak black, and the foot greyish yellow. The plumage of the 

 young has a bro^vnish tinge ; the habitat of this species appears to be confined to the forests on 

 the island of Ceram, where it was discovered by the Dutch traveller, Forster. We are almost entirely 

 ignorant of the habits of these strange birds in their native wilds. 



THE MOORTJK. 

 The MoORUK ( Casuarhis Bennettii). The Mooruk is considerably smaller and shorter than the 

 Cassowar)', and has much thicker legs. The helmet rises high at the base and then branches out into 

 two overhanging lobes, the horny part which unites them being lowest in the centre. The back part 

 of this elevated crest is flat, and rises rather obliquely from the head near the occiput. A specimen 

 sent to England by Dr. Bennett, when it first arrived, was rufous mixed with black on the back and 

 under part of the body, and raven-black about the neck and breast ; the loose wavy skin of tb.e neck 

 was beautifully coloured with iridescent tints of blueish purple, pink, and an occasional shade of 

 green ; and the feet and legs were of a pale ash-colour. It afterwards became generally darker, the 

 bare skin of the fore part of the neck of a more uniform smalt-blue, and the legs somewhat darker in 



