185 



into longitudinal bars, like a bird cage; in which some poor canary- 

 bird, or other unfortunate songster is perched, and sold with his 

 singular prison, for a couple of dollars. 



The cassowary, more formidable in appearance, and more 

 savage in disposition than the ostrich, is generally his companion 

 in the Cape menagerie: not much inferior in size, and stronger 

 made, he is capable of doing much mischief, and sometimes 

 evinces his power, as our party one day experienced. The casso- 

 wary then exhibited had it seems an invincible aversion to the 

 fair-sex, which the keeper had not informed us of: a young lady 

 approaching, he instantly struck her down with his foot, and got 

 the better of two gentlemen who attempted to rescue her, before 

 the keeper, with an immense whip, put an end to the combat. 

 He was altogether a very formidable adversary; the head, instead 

 of a crest or soft plumage, being armed with a hard bony excres- 

 cence, like a helmet; his large black eyes are encircled with 

 hairs, which sparingly cover the head and neck instead of 

 feathers. 



Among other curious birds was the Columba-coronata, or Java 

 pigeon, a bird nearly as large as a turkey, with a plumage of 

 dusky blue, and a beautiful tuft on the head. Also the secretary- 

 bird, a native of the southern parts of Africa; about three feet 

 high, chiefly arrayed in purple, Avith some long feathers elegantly 

 falling from the head ; it destroys serpents, rats and vermin, and 

 is on that account much esteemed, for the Cape abounds with 

 venomous snakes, scorpions, scolopendrag, and noxious reptiles, 

 as do many situations between the tropics; also with lizards of 

 many descriptions, the land tortoise, and gryllne, or locusts, in 



VOL. [I. 2 b 



