508 
THE MO OR UK. 
character of the bird, which is tetchy of disposition, and apt to take offence without apparent 
provocation. Like the bnll, it is excited to unreasoning ire at the sight of a scarlet cloth, and, 
like the dog or the cat, has a great antipathy towards ragged or unclean persons, attacking 
such individuals with some acerbity merely because their garments or general aspect do not 
please its refined taste. It is a determined and rather formidable antagonist, turning rapidly 
about and launching a shower of kicks which can do no small damage, their effect being con- 
siderably heightened by the sharp claws with which the toes are armed. In the countries 
which it inhabits, the native warriors are accustomed to use the innermost claw of the Casso- 
wary’ s foot as the head of their spears. 
The food of this bird in a wild state consists of herbage and various fruits, and in captivity 
it is fed on bran, apples, carrots, and similar substances, and is said to drink nearly half a 
gallon of water per diem. The eggs are somewhat like those of the rhea, save that their sur- 
face is more tubercular, and the shades of green more varied. The color of the plumage is 
black, glossy above, as if made of shining black horsehair, and rather duller below. At the 
lower part of the neck there are two wattles, and the upper part of the neck is colored with 
beautiful blue, purple, and scarlet. The legs are feathered. An adult male is about five feet 
in height. 
The other species of Cassowary was discovered by Captain Devlin, and, having been taken 
to Sydney, was there purchased and then brought to Europe by Dr. Bennett, after whom it 
has been very appropriately named. Its native title is Mooiutk, and its home is in the island 
of New Britain. 
Dr. Bennett’s description of the Mooruk is as follows : “ The height of the bird is three 
feet to the top of the back, and five feet when standing erect. Its color is rufous, mixed with 
black on the back and hinder portions of the body, and raven -black about the neck and breast ; 
the loose, wavy skin of the neck is beautifully colored with iridescent tints of bluish -purple, 
pink, and an occasional shade of green, quite different from the red and purple caruncles of 
the Cassowary ; the feet and legs, which are very large and strong, are of a pale ash color, and 
exhibit a remarkable peculiarity in the extreme length of the claw of the inner toe of each 
foot, it being nearly three times the length which it attains in the claws of the other toes. 
This bird also differs from the Cassowary in having a horny plate instead of a helmet-like pro- 
tuberance on the top of the head, which callous plate resembles mother-of-pearl darkened with 
black lead.” 
The voice of the Mooruk is a kind of whistling chirp. It is a very cleanly bird, keeping 
its plumage free from stain, and being very fond of washing, lying down to have repeated 
bucketfuls of water poured over its body, and squatting on the ground in heavy rain. Their 
proceedings when in captivity are most amusingly told by Dr. Bennett, in his valuable “ Gather- 
ings of a Naturalist in Australasia,” and although too long to be entirely inserted, are so 
interesting and so indicative of the Mooruk’ s character, that a portion must find a place in 
these pages : — 
“ I succeeded in purchasing the birds. When placed in the yard, they walked about as 
tame as turkeys. They approached any one who came in, as if desirous of being fed, and 
were very docile. They began pecking at a bone they found lying about (probably not having 
tasted any meat for some time), and would not, while engaged upon it, touch some boiled 
potatoes which were thrown to them ; indeed, it was found afterwards that they fed better out 
of a dish than from the ground, having no doubt been early accustomed to be fed in that 
manner. They seemed also fond of scraping about the dunghill, and appeared to pick up food 
from it, probably insects or grubs. They were as familiar as if born and bred among us for 
years, and did not require time to reconcile them to their new situation, but were sociable and 
quite at home at once. 
“We found them on the following day rather too tame, or, like spoilt pets, too often in 
the way. One or both of them would walk into the kitchen, and while one was dodging 
under the tables and chairs, the other would leap up on the table, keeping the cook in a state 
