382 CASSOWARY. 



and one inch broad at the base, but gradually grows thinner, so that 

 the upper partis not more than a quarter of an inch thick, the colour 

 is yellowish, but blackish on the fore part; the sides of the head and 

 neck naked, covered only with a wrinkled reddish skin, thinly beset 

 with hairs, and tinged with both blue and purple; on the lower part 

 on each side, forwards, are two fleshy membranes one inch and a half 

 long, and three quarters broad; these are partly red, and partly 

 blue, changing into each other occasionally; they take rise about the 

 middle of the neck, and are very slender at the base ; the breast is a 

 callous bare part, serving the same purpose, of resting the body on 

 the ground, as in the Ostrich ; the body in general is covered with 

 brownish black, loose-webbed, feathers, for the most part two arising 

 out of one shaft ; on the rump these are fourteen inches long at least, 

 and hang downwards ; in place of a tail, for the bird is destitute of 

 one, the wing, or member which may be called such, is not furnished 

 with feathers, having only five bare shafts, like the quills of a por- 

 cupine, the longest ten or twelve inches, and dusky in colour; at 

 the end of the last joint a kind of claw; the legs have three toes, 

 all placed forwards, at the end of each a claw, almost straight, and 

 pointed, the inner one the longest ; colour of the legs and toes 

 greyish brown ; claws black. 



This species inhabits the eastern parts of Asia, towards the south ; 

 in the Molucca Islands, those of Banda, Java, Sumatra, and parts 

 corresponding, but no where in plenty ; nor ever met with beyond 

 the limits of the Torrid Zone. It is unable to fly, but runs very 

 fast, and in the wild state is very fierce; grunts like a hog, and kicks 

 with the legs like a horse ; the egg is smaller, and longer than that of 

 an Ostrich, of a greenish grey, inclining to ash-colour, and marked 

 with continuous, and thick set, small, deep green protuberances; 

 and measures longways fifteen inches in circumference ; crossways 



* Linnaeus calls the spots indented: ova punctis excavatis. The egg is well figured in 

 Klein, Ov. pi. 2. 



