10 
NATURAL HISTORY. 
is the head; this, though small, like that of an ostrich, does 
not fail to inspiresome degreeof terror. Itis bare of feathers, 
and is in a manner armed with an helmetof horny substance, 
that covers it from the root of the bill to nearly half the head 
backwards. This helmet is black before and yellow behind. 
Its substance is very hard, being formed by the elevation of 
the bone of the skull : and it consists of several plates, one 
over another, like the horn of an ox. Some have supposed 
that this was shed every year with the feathers ; but the most 
probable opinion is, that it exfoliates slowly like the beak. 
To the peculiar oddity of this natural armour may be added 
the colourof the eye in this animal, which is a bright yellow, 
and the globe being above an inch and a half in diameter, 
gives it an air equally fierce and extraordinary. At the bot- 
tom of the upper eye-lid, there is a row of small hairs, over 
which there is another row of black hairs which look pretty 
much like an eye-brow. The sides of the head, about the 
eye and ear, being destitute of any covering, are blue, ex- 
cept the middle of the lower eye-lid, which is white. The 
neck is of a violet colour, inclining to that of slate : and it is 
red behind in several places, but chielly in the middle. 
About the middle of the neck before, at the rise of the large 
feathers, there are two projections formed by the skin, which 
resemble somewhat the gills of a cock, but that they are blue 
as well as red. The skin which covers the fore part of the 
breast, on which this 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 could be behind is wanting. 
Thus formed for a life of hostility, for terrifying others, 
and for its own defence, it might be expected that the cas- 
sowary was one of the most fierce and terrible animals of 
the creation. But nothing is so opposite to its natural 
character, nothing so different from the life it is contented 
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 his pursuer, beats him down, 
and treads him to the ground. 
The manner of going of this animal is not less extraordi- 
nary than its appearance. Instead of goingdirectly forward, 
it seems to kick up behind with one leg, and then making a 
bound onward with the other, it goes with such prodigious 
velocity, that the swiftest racer would be left far behind. 
The same degree of voraciousness which we perceived in 
