CASUARTIU S W ESTERMA NNI
Westerman’s Cas

ssowary.
Casuarius westermanni, Scl. Proc.

Mert. Z. S. LL. p. 423.
Casuarius kaupi, Scl. P.Z.S 1871,

Zool. Soc. 187. 947 ce
74, p. 247, et 1875, p. 85, pl. xix.—Scl. Ibis, 1874 p. 417.—List

. 627.—Scl. P. ZS. 197 7, pl. i
WL 12S e337 2, p. 147, pl. ix.—Sel, Pp. Z.3. 1873 p. 474

ml fe 5
Tue following note appears it ale 1 :
§ le S in the ‘ Proceedinos 1 1 |

lings’ of the Zoological Societ

eting to the Cassowary in

° yy, a 2

in 1871, and described and

Casuarius kaupi, which w

y, 1874, p- 247 :—< Mr.
the Society’s Gardens, received from
figured in the < Proceedings * for 1872
| as now a fine adult bird, It now appeared,
: n the recently published part of the «Musée des Pays-Bas,’ and from
the ‘Journal fiir Orn} rie’ for 187 :

| mn . rnithologie’ for 1874 (p. 390), that there could be no
> name Casuarius kaupi of Rosenberg h
C. unappendiculatus. [t remained, therefore, to find

Sclater called the attention of the Me
the Zoological Society of Amsterdam
(p. 147, pl. ix.) under the name
from Professor Schlegel’s remarks |
Hr. v. Rosenberg’s article in

en | Ply
longer any doubt that the ad been founded on a young example of
another name for the present bird. Mr. Sclater had
PI C. papuanus ; but, Judging from the description of this species
given by Schlegel (/. c.), such could not be the case. He had
after the distinguished Director of the Zoological Garde

at first supposed it might be referred to

therefore designated it Casuarius westermannt,
ns at Amsterdam, through whom the Society had
received their unique specimen,”

If the reader will scan over the account accompanying the plate of C. picticollis, he may read what has
been said on the changes which occur in the Cassowaries, both as regards plumage arta the evanescent
colouring of the neck. In the young of the same age all the species offer a great degree of similarity ;
whilst for the adult, both in the form of the helmet and colouring of the naked skin, well-defined cha-
racters are always to be found. Of the lesser or Mooruk type the present is the most singular, both as
regards colour and form of the helmet, which is extremely curious and interesting ; in fact it was of the
front face of this bird that, by urgent solicitations, I succeeded in getting our very talented artist, Mr.
Wolf, to make a carefully coloured drawing from the living bird; when it died the body was immediately
forwarded to me, and the foremost figure in my illustration was taken.

Mr. Sclater tells me that last year (1876) there were two examples of this Cassowary living in the Zoo-
logical Gardens at Rotterdam, and that on the occasion of his recent visit this year (May 1877) he found
one of them still alive and in fine adult plumage.

Very little has as yet been ascertained respecting the habits and economy of the various species of Casso-
wary. What has been recorded tends to show that they are forest-loving birds, frequenting the woods of
ihe low countries as well as the mountainous districts, roaming over the open gullies and sunny glades either
singly or in small companies. ‘Their food is of a mixed or multifarious character, —fruits, berries, bulbous roots,
and the leafy buds of trees forming part of their vegetable diet, the wild fig (which at oie seasons
: from the lofty trees) being always searched for and eaten with avidity; while the

is constantly dropping i ‘ : :
ee d—reptiles, feeble birds, little

1 r i intal Ir re ies iS even more varie
animal food which serves to maintain their huge bodies is eve Te ee
being among its constituent elements. n their dispos ‘

5 Pali rustaceans insects and ecas :
Mammals, crustaceans, cts, < 8s Meare’ oe lie

. shelter in the depths of the thicket.
cluse, and when disturbed seek shelter in the depths of the thick
hem to pass over great distances in a

The chicks are longitudinally striped

birds are shy and re ) ae
‘fligh i iftness, their long legs enabling

power of flight, they run with great swiftness, their long eps nane

of time, and by this means to avoid pursuit.

comparatively short space ;
2 y - autiful green.

. «noated exe's are of a be
with yellowish white ; and their large corrugated eggs are of ¢

Hab. New Guinea, vicinity of Havre Dorey.

ASNT

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