AUSTRALIAN CASSOWARY. 15 
Cardwell and Herbert River, but the sugar planters who settled 
there have ruthlessly destroyed it. On account of their inroads 
these birds remain during the day in the densest parts of the scrubs, 
wandering about the sides of the watercourses and creeks, diving 
through the bushes and vines at the slightest noise; only towards 
evening and early morning do they visit their former haunts, hence 
it is most difficult to get a shot at them. This bird is peculiar to 
the north-east portion of Australia. Specimens have been obtained 
from Cape York, Rockingham and Trinity Bays, and Herbert Liver. 
A nest was found near Cairns. It is not rare on Hinchinbrook 
Island, aud to get there must swim a distance of two miles from the 
mainland. Cassowaries are kept in the Zoological Gardens, London, 
Paris, Sydney, and Melbourne. They are quarrelsome, and have 
generally to be provided with separate enclosures. They kick and 
hiss violently at strangers. 
Uses.—The blacks use part of the plumage for ornamenting their 
bodies; prior to the discovery of this bird by the white man, the 
settlers wondered whence the aboriginals procured some strange 
feathers which had been taken out of a native hut in Northern 
Queensland. As food for the natives, they hunt the cassowary with 
the aid of their dingoes, which are able to kill the half-grown, and 
sometimes even the old birds. ‘The flesh tastes very much like beef, 
and is very-fat ‘The sugar planters use the skins for rugs and door 
mats. These birds are eagerly sought after by collectors, for, when 
their skins are stuffed and mounted in a life-like posture, they form 
a valuable addition to the museums of Australia, Kurope, and 
America. In 1875, the Marquess of Normanby, before quitting the 
government of Queensland for that of New Zealand, sent a living 
cassowary to England. It was placed in the Zoological Gardens, 
London. In the same year another bird was received from Sydney. 
In 1866, Mr. Sclater had exhibited to the Zoological Society, Lon- 
don, a small bundle of feathers of a cassowary, supposed to belong 
to an Australian bird. They were of great interest as being the 
only portion of this bird that had been brought to Europe up to that 
date ; the bird itself had been seen by some black troopers of the 
native police, but when pursued escaped into a scrub. 
Species. —Vhe genus Casuarius comprises nine:—l. The Aus- 
tralian. 2. The Ceram cassowary, found in that island; this is 
also called the common cassowary. ‘There are specimens of it in the 
Leyden museum, 3. Beccari’s cassowary, found in Wokan, the 
most northern of the Aru Islands. 4, The two-wattled cassowary, 
found in the Aru Islands. There are several specimens of it in the 
Leyden museum, which were obtained from the Aru Islands, 5. 
The one wattled cassowary, found in the Isle of Salwatti and the 
opposite coast of New Guinea. 6. The Papuan cassowary, found in 
northern New Guinea. 7. Westermann’s cassowary, found in the 
Isle of Jobi, off New Guinea. 8. The painted-necked cassowary, 
found in southern New Guinea. 9. The mooruk or Bennett’s casso- 
wary, found in New Britain, In 1857, a specimen of this bird was 
brought to Sydney in the cutter ‘‘ Oberon.” It was secured by Dr. 
