CASUA RIUS AUSTRAL] S, Wall.

Australian Cassowary.

Casuarius australis, Wall, Mlustrated Sydney Herald, June oe 1854.—Gould, in P
1857, p. 270.—Sclat. in Proc. Zool. Soe., part xxviii. 186

1867, p. 473.—Sclat. ibid., 1868, p 376.— Gould, Handb. Birds 0

— Johnsonii, Muell. in the Australasian, Dec. ae

of Zool. Soc., 1867, p. 242.—Krefft, ibid., 1

Toc. of Zool. Soc., part xxy.
0, p. 210, and 1866, pp. 168, 557.—Benn. ibid.,
i. p. 206,

17, 1867; and Proc.
Orn. of Aust, part xii. pl. 5.

it Australia, vol,
1866; Melbourne Herald, Dec.
867, p. 483.—Dige,

a wa

Tue discovery of a species of Cassowary in Australia may be

results of the later explorations of that vast portion of the globe

truly noble bird represented in the accompanying Plate,

group of wingless birds which formerly tenanted the

ledge of its existence we are indebted to the late Mr.
5

looked Upon as one of the most interesting

3 Interesting indeed is the

acquisition of the
since it is one of the few

remaining species of a great
austral regions of our planet.

Thomas Wall, who, like Gilbert,
Johnson, Drummond, Burke, and Wills, and many other explorers, left his bones in the inhospitable wilds
of Australia. It was communicated to the world in nearly the following words :—“ A
was shot near Cape York, in one of the almost inaccessible gullies whic
continent, and where, as well as in other deep and

For our first know-

Strange, Leichardt,

specimen of this bird
h abound in that part of the Australian
stony valleys of that neighbourhood

» It was running in com-
panies of seven or eight. On that part of the north-easte

ri Coast, therefore, it is probably plentiful, and will be
. The bird possesses great strength in its legs, and
makes use of it in the same manner as the Emu. Its whole build is more strong and heavy than the latter
bird. It is very wary; but its presence may be detected by its utterance of a peculiarly loud note, which is
taken up and echoed along the gullies ; and it could be easily killed with a rifle.” These particulars were
published in the ‘ Illustrated Sydney Herald,’ of the 3rd of June, 1854, by Mr. Thomas Wall’s brother,
Mr. William Sheridan Wall, Curator of the Australian Museum, who at the same time suggested for the
; : z : =
bird the specific name of australis, a term which bas been adopted by every European ornithologist. Ina

met with in all the deep gullies at the base of high hills

 

note from Dr. Bennett, that gentleman says :—‘‘ Carron, the survivor of Kennedy’s Expedition, informed me
that the Cassowary shot by Wall had a helmet or crest on the head of a black colour, and hot red as first
stated, and that two specimens were shot and eaten by his party in the dense scrubs in W eymouth Bay,
near Cape York, and close to the coast.” os |
The next notice of the bird is contained in a communication to the Zoological Society Houtlo, on
the 13th of December, 1866, by Mr. Sclater, who stated that he Lee rafogaone’ by Mr. Walter J. in
who had an extensive sheep-run in the Valley of Lagoons, on the Upper Burdekin River, oo i” te
westward of Rockingham Bay, that in the neighbourhood of the ae locality the bird was well known undet |
te the name of the Black Emu, but was shy and very difficult to obtain.

 

“T fear I can tell you but little respecting these birds,” says Mr. Scott ; “I have never had the fortune
a Pl C

 

ived informati ir being seen on three or four occasions, in
to meet with one myself, but have received information of their bei - Pe oe
‘s of the native ‘e, returning from < succes:
spots thirt forty miles apart. Some black troopers of the native police, re ! a
Bear one thee x r Vale of Herbert Station (in lat. 18° S.), who were
suit of one they had seen about three miles from our Vale o oe 0 wel
Me ehitinr cick, E inf 1 that the bird they had seen was quite distinct from it.
iliar wi } formed me that the y ha
.
familiar with the Common Emu, it Mere ee
an tation told me, on a former occasion, he had seen two Black Emus, but
yy . S a3 i
Fe Re en some stat Fa loyment saw one on the ‘ Separation Creek
thought they were a mere variety. Another person in our employr e
: S 9
i ,' ich is really a tri ry of the Herbert River.
i We sa: followi ommunication from Dr. Mueller appeared in the
r 15th, 1866, the following ¢ é
Two days later, December 15th, ;
$ ’
lg ni stpylacy: eae
Melbourne newspaper, ‘The Australasian’: vin trast tuk a seat tt
i i e EXiS of an Australian true casoar, ae ae
“For the intelligence of the existence : . Rt bi
: am indebted to G. Randall Johnson, Esq., who in Sey 2
liminarily its specific characters, I am indebted to G. i "nada eee sexi aE
i rie Creek scrub the only spe
isi dnghe ay, S n the Gowrie Creek j nee ee
on a visit to Rockingham Bay, shot 1 1 eee sca ene RMT eldleersear
a o better than to g
i > ish it s ear ; and I cannot
. yet obtained, and whose name I wish it should bear ; « ie es
: 7 ‘ oentieme :
publicity to the lucid remarks transmitted to me by that ge

m rts scrubs, and se
Ir 2 re open parts of the |
i itself < st entirely to the more o] hese se aa
ON occ sic oomhe +t. and September its food consists chiefly of an
August, and Se] : ce
This, together with herbage, probably
? 5

ldom ventures

far out on the plains. During the months of July,
ruit of a large tree. sedi hnnanarale
ee me a ie t its habits have been so little observed that hardly |
i » year; but at present its hé é
diet, at least for that portion of the year; ,
; 5 she 299 se PeSalaten Clennine
anything is known concerning them. ie Ae oiatabfoniy, 180% Mi Selater neleneine
; y ical Society of London, o 20 .
At the meeting of the Zoological Society o