LECTURE vr. n9 



been rather considered as belonging to a distinct 

 genus under the name of Casuarius, and is called 

 Casuarius Galeatus. The Cassowary is a native 

 of the East Indian islands, and was first brought 

 into Europe by the Dutch, tovyards the close 

 of the sixteenth century. It is of a coal-black 

 colour, and is remarkable for the total want 

 of wings, having only, in place of them, five or 

 six strong, naked, horny spines or quills on each 

 side : on the head is a very strong and some- 

 what flattened rising crest or helmet, dow^n each 

 side the neck run a pair of long spongy wattles 

 of an irregular surface and of a mixed red and 

 violet-colour. The feathers of this bird are re^ 

 markably long and narrow, so as to give the 

 bird at first sight the appearance of being co- 

 vered rather with hair than feathers : each fea- 

 ther is also double, two springing from one 

 shaft or base : the legs are extremely strong, 

 and the feet have three toes, all pointing for- 

 wards. Among the best representations of the 

 Cassowary are those of Roberts in the seventeenth 

 century, of Mr. Millar in his Miscellaneous 

 Plates of Natural History, and Barraband in 

 some plates lately published at Paris^ 



