40 
as red. The skin which covers the fore part of the breast, 
on which the bird leans and rests, is hard, callous, and 
without feathers. The thighs and legs are covered with 
feathers, and are extremely thick, strong, and straight \ 
but the legs are thicker a little above the foot than in any 
other place. The toes are covered with scales, and are 
but three in number, for that which should be behind is 
wanting. 
Thus formed for a life of hostility, one might natu- 
rally suppose that the Cassowary is one of the most ter- 
rible of animals. But nothing is so opposite to its natural 
character, nothing so different from the life it is content- 
ed to lead. It never attacks others- ; and instead of the 
bill, when attacked, it rather makes use of its legs, and 
kicks like an horse, or runs against its pursuer, beats 
him down, and treads him to the ground. 
The manner of going of this animal is not less extraor- 
dinary than its appearance. Instead of proceeding direct- 
ly foreward, it seems to kick up behind with one leg, and 
then making a bound onward with the other, it advances 
with such prodigious velocity, that the swiftest racer 
would be left far behind. 
The same degree of voraciousness which we per- 
ceived in the ostrich, obtains as strongly here : the Cas- 
sowary swallows every thing that comes within the ca- 
pacity of its gullet the Butch assert that it can devour 
rot only glass, iron, and stones, but even burning coals, 
without the least hurt. It is said that the passage of 
the food through its gullet is performed so speeaily, 
that even the very eggs it has swallowed whole, pass 
through it unbroken, in the same form they went 
clown. The Cassowary’s eggs are of a grey ash cole in, 
inclining to green: the largest is found to be fifteen 
inches round one way, and about twelve tire other. 
The southern parts ot the most eastern Indies seem 
to be the natural climate of the Cassowary. His do- 
