ANATOMY OF BIRDS
GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION
MIGRATIONS OF BIRDS
CLASSIFICATION OF BIRDS
LIZARD-TAILED BIRD
AMERICAN TOOTHED-BIRDS
THE OSTRICHES
THE RHEAS
EMEUS AND CASSOWARIES
THE TINAMOUS
THE KIWIS
THE PENGUINS
LOONS AND GREBES
ALBATROSSES & PETRELS
STORK-LIKE BIRDS
GOOSE-LIKE BIRDS
FALCON-LIKE BIRDS
FOWL-LIKE BIRDS
CRANE-LIKE BIRDS
PLOVER-LIKE BIRDS
CUCKOO-LIKE BIRDS
THE ROLLER-LIKE BIRDS
SPARROW-LIKE BIRDS
Birds and Birding's Guide to:
Watching THE EMEUS AND CASSOWARIES
The Violet-necked Cassowary
(C c. violicollis), a subspecies of the last, is found in Trangan Island, of the Aru group, and takes its name from the bright violaceous color of the neck. The type specimen is now living in England, and Rothschild thus describes its so-called”song": “
It lowers its head and neck and remains in this position — with head and neck stretched out straight in front — for about fifteen seconds, with the bill open and gradually inflating its neck, without making a sound; then, bowing and jerking its head so that the bill and wattle clap together, it emits some barking grunts, apparently with great effort."
Still another subspecies is the Australian Cassowary (C. c. australis) of northern Queensland. It is a very large form, with the wattles more than five inches in length. Its habits have been very entertainingly described by Edward Spalding, as quoted in the Rothschild memoir, and among other things he says: “I have found the Cassowaries to be excellent swimmers, and frequently tracked them across a good-sized creek or river. On Hinchen-brook Island, situated about i^ miles from the mainland, they have been frequently met with."
Mr. Spalding had a young specimen in captivity for some time and speaks of its voracious appetite.”This bird has frequently devoured at a time as much as three quarts of 'loquats' and several fair-sized oranges whole, besides its usual amount of bread per diem, about three pounds. ... In confinement they become very tame, and may be allowed to walk about the place without restraint, coming when called, or more often running after and following after any one accustomed to feed them.
If disappointed or teased, they not infrequently 'show fight' by bristling up their feathers, and kicking out sideways or in front with force sufficient to knock a strong man down, — a feat I have witnessed on more than one occasion. These birds are very powerful, and dangerous to approach when wounded. On more than one occasion a wounded bird has caused a naturalist to take to a tree; the sharp nail of the inner toe is a most dangerous weapon, quite equal to the claw of the large kangaroo, and capable of doing quite as much execution."
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