Abstract
LIKE the minor planets, Cassowaries are of late years continually increasing in number. A short time ago there was but one “Cassowary” recognised by naturalists, which was vaguely stated to inhabit “the Moluccas.” Even Mr. Wallace's extensive researches in the Indian Archipelago only resulted in ascertaining the exacfisland to which the original Casuarius galeatus is restricted, without making us acquainted with other species. But recent expeditions into the less known parts of the Papuan sub-region have led to a much more extended knowledge of the subject, and we have now arrived at the conclusion that the genus Casuarius embraces a numerous group of species, each of which has special distinctive characters and a peculiar geographical distribution. Six of these forms of Cassowary are at the present time represented by specimens living in the Gardens of the Zoological Society of London, where they have attracted much attention. It is with the hope of obtaining further exact information concerning these fine birds from travellers in the countries which they inhabit that I have drawn up the following short summary of the present state of our knowledge of the different species.
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SCLATER, P. Cassowaries . Nature 12, 516–517 (1875). https://doi.org/10.1038/012516a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/012516a0