CASUARIUS BENNETTI,

Bennett’s Cassow

Gould.
ary.

Casuarius Bennetti, Gould in Proe. of Zool. Soc., part xxv.
p- 271, pl. 144.—Dr. Bennett in Proc. of Zool.
Mooruk, Aborigines of New Britain.

Pp. 269, pl. 129.—Gray in Proc, of Zool. Soc., part. xxvi,
Soc., part xxvii, p. 32.

Sea a

Wuo would have supposed the former existence of an extensive group of Str

and what naturalist
of the bony structures of these birds would have be

uthious birds of great
would have imagined that so

en brought to light—that not only
their specific characters -may be accurately described, and even th

museums? Yet these things have been realized within the |
and careful study of an Owen having enabled him to dete
of numerous species of a great family of birds which for
few remain to testify as to the character of their

magnitude and comprising many species ? much
their generic but
eir entire skeletons mounted in our
ast few years, the indefatigable zeal
rmine and arrange the semi-fos
merly existed on our globe,
plumage and their economy of life.

ms the subject of the present paper,
of which must be hailed with interest, tending as it does to throw a |
birds of remote antiquity—the Dinornis and its allies.

Cassowary ( Caswarius galeatus) to be the most nearly

silized remains
and of which some

It isa living repre-
sentative of this almost extinct group that for and the discovery

ight on the history of those huge
Professor Owen considers this new bird and the
allied living types of his genus Palapteryex ; and if this
opinion be correct, we may infer that the habits and economy, as well

as the kind of plumage and the
character of country inhabited by the extinct birds, were very

similar. I have always considered
the Cassowary to belong to a totally different group to the Ostriches, which ar

vast plains and open country during the day-time, and to feed

e adapted for roaming over
upon berries, fruits, mollusks and small
animals generally ; while the Cassowary, the Mooruk, and the Apteryx are partially or wholly nocturnal, living
reclusely in the gullies and humid parts of dense forests, feeding upon the roots of ferns and other plants
peculiar to such situations. The hair-like character of their feathers bespeak these habits and mode of
d s SIL
life, as much as the plumes of the Ostriches do their adaptation for open plains and savannahs. Having
2 . n Bane ai etas : . ;
premised thus much, I now proceed to state that it has been a source of much gratification to myself, that
1 = > > Pay ay) fn ay ‘ - |e tledo: Pre
I have been enabled, through the kindness of Dr. Bennett of Sydney, further to add to out knowledge of this
group by making known the existence of an entirely new species of Caswarius ; I mention my gratification,
5 c oye) .
i is tc > of st rtant < ons rnithology I have ever had the good
because I consider this to be one of the most important additions to orn gy The — : g .
i Ef i f scientific wor is true the Same remark might be made
fortune,to bring before the notice of the scientific world. It is true that the sé | ; . :
a." : 2 Gore See or extraordinary birds ave had the pleasure o
with regard to Baleniceps, the Menura Alberti, and many other extraordinary birds I have ha 7 F f ee
5 . y Ks . fz) . y . 3 :
: I . TY L ne are members a nearly extinct family of birds, the
naming ; but the present species and the Apterya Owent are members of a ne: as amily ; te
5 Oo : _ ee aN yy a . Je Vv
nnants of a group which played an important part in the economy of nature in periods long gone by O1
remna € ye : é a ae h
h, then, does science owe to Dr. Bennett for having secured and sent this bird to London! and how muc
muc > > x ) . aA a = i . ne ea iberality ! Th e
: ; able don: ; deposite ve to him for his liberality ! re
does the Society in whose possession this valuable donation is deposited, owe qe i
‘ rer speci 3, orace ardens o
- i id @ ale ¢ 7O younger specimens, grace the G
; rd, a splendid adult male and two young
examples of this fine bird, a s| . oe vel Rie ae
ae etter 7 e Ostrich, the Rhea, the Emeu,
: ; rhere they live side by side with th :
gical Society of London, where J j eee -
: : assowary. All are in good health ; and such a display of great
Apteryx, and its allied congener, the Cassowary. All < 8 hath See
. bof a and probably never will be again, and ought alone to be «
Struthious birds was never before seen, and probably g
attraction for visitors to this justly popular om tical as to its being specifically distinct from the
: rst Mooruk yas somewhat sceptical a: g j ;
On the arrival of the first Mooruk, I was 2 i a the helmet became more developed, this suspi-
AG » bird increased in size, anc ; , 4
common Cassowary ; but as the bird increasec he bi 1 is fully adult, it is apparent that no two species can
i ; Cr ind: < 7 that the bird 1s Tully ¢ » WAS : :
ets an wow the he Mooruk is a smaller and shorter bird, and has much
a: ae » Cassowary, the Mooruk is as é
be more distinct. Compared with the Cassowary, t oe f an’ elevated easciue niteee mememned
: Ficte: ing in the form of ¢ vate at
thicker legs; and the helmet, instead of being i hanging lobes, the horny part which unites
: : ora o ranches into two overhanging : oe : :
ridge, rises high at the base, and then branches out ‘ole. crest bolita MRE teeette
: the back part of this elevated doub 5

 

el st ji centre . Genin > accompanying
pen Be ugsewest-in the ‘put. This feature has been carefully depicted in the < | be : :
eee Pe head near the es its form will therefore be more clearly perceived by <

Plate, which represents the head of the size of life ; Thies colonting. eo mcte

i é minute.
ripti fever accurate and r
reference to the Plate than by any description, however < Se ae ae
| : i ix i ack y
1 ived in England, was rufous mixed with bla a ee
Mooruk, when it first arrived in England, ne ie ae
the loose wav} a ee
shade of green; and the feet and legs we
Cc :
arker, the bare skin of the fore part
: .
I am much indebted

ey: reast 5
body, and raven-black about the neck and brea ‘ en
X a ; 3 i s 5 r an OCcCc c

with iridescent tints of bluish purple, pink, and <

renerally d
: as ecome generally
las » body has now b g ¢ pee
it a and the lees of a somewhat darker t ee
es . accurate drawing of the young sta
accurd 2

Ts 5 ES o
the great trouble he has taken in making
: 3)

of the neck of a more uniform smalt He “eee
to my friend, G. F. Angas, Esq., of Sydney, for a ae an . aia
bird : and I cannot too strongly express my one : : that have reached me: it is pleasing to ind é
these correct delineations, as well as ecins a way. ifested the
gentleman who has the power, willing to aid ae ’ sae compliment to one who has ae ae eee
Dr. Bennett, after whom I have named the bird = - cae birds to the Zoological es living in
greatest love for Natural History, besides presenting : a cee as to the habits of the bird while g
the volumes of their « Proceedings” with some interesting