Order CA8UARIIF0RME8 
No. 5. 
Family CA8UARIIDM. 
CASUARIUS CASUARIUS AUSTRALIS. 
AUSTRALIAN CASSOWARY. 
(Plate 5.) 
Castjaritjs australis Wall, lUustr. Sydney Herald, 3rd June (1854), Queensland ; c/., 
Gould, P.Z.S., p. 270 (1857). 
Gasuarius australis Wall, lUustr. Sydney Herald, 3rd June (1854); Gould, Handb. B. Austr., 
II., p, 206 (1865) ; Sclater, P.Z.S., p. 557 (1866) ; Bennett and Carron, P.Z.S., p. 473 
(1867) ; Sclater, P.Z.S., p. 376 (1868) ; Gould, B. Austr. SuppL, Pis. 70-71 (1869); 
Flower, P.Z.S., p. 32 (1871) ; Ramsay, P.Z.S., p. 325 (1874) ; id., P.L.S., N.S.W., I., 
p. 186 (1876); id., P.Z.S., p. 119 (1876); id., P.L.S., N.S.W., II., p. 376, PI. XI. (1877); 
id.. Tab. List. Austr. B., pp. 19, 35 (1888) ; North, Austr. Mus. Cat., No. 12, p. 294 
(1889); Lumholtz, Among Cannibals, p. 98 (1889) ; Salvador!, Cat. B, Brit. Mus., 
XXVII., p. 594 (1895); Campbell, Proc. Roy. Phys. Soc., p. 229 (1896); id., Nests and 
Eggs Austr. B., p. 1069 (1901) ; Oates, Cat, Birds’ Eggs Brit, Mus., I., p. 5 (1901) ; 
Hall, Key B. Austr., p. 109 (1906) ; Mathews, Handl. B. Austral., p. 5 (1908). 
Gasuarius johnsonii F. Mueller, Australasian, December 15th, 1866; cf. P.Z.S., p. 242 
(1867) ; Krefft, P.Z.S., p. 483 (1867) ; id., Ibis, p. 348 (1869) ; Higgles, Handb. B. 
Austr., II., PI. 96a (1877). 
Gasuarius casuarius australis Rothschild, Trans. Z.S., XV., p. 123, PI. xxv. (1900). 
Distribution. North Queensland (Cardwell to Cooktown), 
Admit. This species, which is distinguished by its very high casque (thinner above) ; long 
nail of inner toe, and the very large wattles on the fore-neck, is black both above 
and below with dark brown bases to the feathers — the feathers being much elongated, 
narrow, and disintegrated with black shining shafts which are destitute of webs towards 
the ends. The wings are rudimentary and furnished with porcupine-like black quills 
without any webs whatever ; head and neck all round, including the two wattles on 
the lower fore-neck, bare. For colour of soft parts refer to the Plate. Total length 
about 60 inches from top of casque to tips of feathers at the end of the body; bill from 
gape, 139 mm., culmen from base of casque, 65; tarsus, 317 ; middle toe and claw, 159. 
Young (quarter-grown). “ Head and hind-neck chestnut rufous. Chin, throat and fore- 
neck densely covered with short downy feathers of a brownish-buff colour. Rest of 
body clayey brownish -yellow mixed with dark rufous.”* 
Young (two-thirds grown). “ Plumage brown. Head and occiput, duU pale blue; lower 
hind-neck, orange ; fore-neck leaden blue ; lower naked sides of neck blue, mixed with 
livid purple.”* 
* Rothschild, Trans. Z.S., XV., p. 124 (1900). 
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