OCR Text |
Show 1871.] PROF. W. H. FLOWER ON THE AUSTRALIAN CASSOWARY. 33 bird, by the horny casque. It is not safe, however, to lay too much stress on slight differences in the shape of this appendage, as it varies not only with age, but also considerably in the three (all perfectly adult) examples of C. galeatus examined. All of these, however, agree in having the apex of the crest directed backwards, in its having a long and strongly convex anterior border, and a short, vertical or concave posterior border; while in C. australis the apex of the crest points rather forwards, and the borders are of nearly equal length, the anterior being almost vertical and slightly concave, and the posterior sloping forwards and upwards and being somewhat convex, as shown in the figure. The crest is also more Side view of skull of Casuarius australis; half the natural size. elevated vertically and more compressed, especially in its upper part and towards the edges. The extent of the cranial surface from which the base of the crest springs is almost identical in both species ; the bones involved appear to be the mesethmoid, the nasals, P R O C . Z O O L . Soc-1871, No. III. |