CASUARIUS pic TICOLLI

S,

Sclater.

Painted-throated Cassowary

Casuarius pic CO lis Sclat y Z ) / ) 3 1]
t t a) . | — 1265 f)6 18 uv, p. 90, me XVIlll., et 1s Jer 1 5
} Lis \ ert. Anim. Vy. vO. L. ed. Vi. p. Ae

a
————
——___

Unuess the heads of freshly killed birds are preserved in spirits or livine syecim
SME iost impossible for the ornitholocist ie : Ing specimens can be resorted to,
sis 1€ the various species of Cassowary i
: assowary, particul
, Mooruk. Jn their youth all
mage, while the partly denuded neck is varie

that section known by the trivial name of P if
are of a uniform brown in their plu-

d with different tints of yellow; rr ich i ife oi
erent tints of yellow and green, which in afterlife give

+t . r Ss Y 0
7 stnut red, whilst the brown feathers of the body
by black ones, which ever after remain permanent.

place to blue, verditer green, orange, and che led
are succeedec
ck ¢ The period of this succession of changes from youth to
maturity is several eats: It was on the 27th of May 1874 that an immature specimen rane very distinct
Cassowary was received at the Gardens of the Zoological Society, in which it lived until the 16th Owner
1876. Within three hours of the death of this fine bird, through the kindness of the Secretary, I received its
body at my house, and was able, through the assistance of Mr. Hart, to t

ake the accompanying illustration,
which could not have been prepared in the way it is had not

immediate attention been given to it. Mr.
Sclater has also had drawings taken in an intermediate state, one of which was published, along with descrip-
“On the 27th of May last year,” says Mr. Sclater, “we
purchased of Mr. Broughton of the ‘ Paramatta,’ who seldom returns from Sydney without bringing some

tions, in the ‘ Proceedings’ as above quoted.

welcome addition to our collection, a not quite adult Cassowary, which, as Iam informed, had been brought
to Sydney in the month of April, 1873, by Mr. Godfrey Goodman, Medical Officer of H.M.S. ‘ Basilisk,’
and had lived some eight or nine months in the Botanic Gardens there. This Cassowary was entered in
the register as a Mooruk; and not being at the time aware of its history, I did not pay special attention to
it. Later in the summer, having become aware of its origin, I made a careful examination of the specimen
in company with the Superintendent, and at once decided that it was not a Mooruk (Casuarius bennett),
although closely allied to that species in form and structure. It, in fact, more nearly resembles Westerman’s
Cassowary (C. westermanni), but is very differently coloured in the naked parts of the throat.”

It may be said that the Cassowaries all differ in the form of the helmet, while those which have wattles
differ in the length and situation of these appendages, and that not only the primitive but the complementary
colours are found in the various species. But though these characters alter during adolescence, they
remain permanent when the birds have attained the age of maturity; and I may sling that both Sexes
are similarly adorned—if there be any difference, the females, according to my experience, bemg the
largest in size and richest in colour. Such, then, is all the information I am at present able to render
respecting the history of this interesting addition to the family of the Co cag ee

C. picticollis may at once be distinguished by attending to the colouring of the neck—the naked skin of the
hinder portion being blue, whilst in C. westermanni it is orange. po ee
ller than C. westermanni; the legs are light brown or a sickly

Length of tarsi 11 inches,
feathers of the shoulders and

This bird, as regards size, is a trifle sma
bluish green, and very slender when compared with the other allied species.
middle toe 63, inner nail very long. Whole plumage of the adult jet-black ;
upper part of the back very stiff, round and shiny.

The sex of the individual from which my drawings were taken w
prosector’s) journal.

Habitat. Discovery Bay, S.E. coast of New Guinea.

: : a :
as marked male in Prof. Garrod’s (our

arly of

 

 

Fay

a

my

es

ii

POA PENR AL YSS:

i

Fe NS Og Ag VSL NSD

EWEN Z ESS

he Se Ps

RPG SRG RIES