The Cassowary is a bird which was first brought into 
Europe by the Dutch, from Java in the East Indies* 
where it is only to be found. 
The Cassowary, though not so large as the ostrich*, 
yet appears more bulky to the eye ; its body being nearly 
equal, and its neck and legs much thicker and stronger 
in proportion. This conformation gives it an air of 
strength and force, which the fierceness and singularity of 
its countenance conspire to render formidable. It is five 
feet and an half long, from the point of the bill to the ex- 
tremity of the claws. The legs are two feet and an half 
high, from the belly to the end of the claws. The wing 
is so small that it does not appear, being hid under the 
leathers of the back. In other birds, a part of the fea* 
thers serve for flight, and are different from those that serve 
for mere covering ; but in the Cassowary, all the fea- 
thers are of the same kind : they are generally 'double 5 
having two long shafts, growing out of a short one, which 
is fixed in the skin : the beards, that adorn the stem or 
shaft, are from about half way to the end, very long, and 
as thick as an horse-hair, without being sub-divided into 
fibres : the stem or shaft is fiat, shining black, and knot- 
ted below > and from each knot there proceeds a beard : 
the beards too at the end of the large feathers are perfect- 
ly black ; and towards the root they are of a grey tawny 
colour . shorter, softer, and throwing out fine fibres, like 
down. Nothing therefore appears except the ends, which 
are hard and black ; because the other part, composed of 
down, is quite covered : there are feathers on the head 
and neck ; but they are so short* and thinly sown, that 
the bird’s skin appears naked, except towards the hinder 
part of the head, where they are a little longer : the 
wings, when they are deprived of their feathers, are but 
three inches long : the ends of the wings are adorned with 
five prickles, which differ both in respect of length and 
