The Cajfowary or Emeu.
Numb. LX.
IT S Length from the Tip of its Bill to the End of the Claws was
almoft five Foot; the Height of its Back from the Ground was two
Foot fix Inches; from the Knee to the End of its middle Claw twenty
Inches; on the fore Part and Top of its Head grew a horny Sisbftance;
the Head and Neck are bare of Feathers, only thin fet with a hairy
Down, the Skin under the Down is of a blueiih purple Colour, except
the lower Part of the back Side of the Neck, which is of a vermilion Colour,
as was alfo the two Wattles or Lobes of Fleih which hung down
on the lower Part of the Neck almoft as low as the Breaft; its Bill was
near four Inches long, of a moderate thicknefs and ftreight; its Legs are
thick and ftrong five Inches and a half in compafs, covered with many
broad thick-Scales of a yellowiih Colour: they have three Toes all
Handing forward, for it wants the back Toe; the under Parts of the
Feet and Heel are callous and hard, with which they ftrike with great
Force, and ru,n very fwiftly; in the Place of Wings it had two fmall Pinions,
bn each of which grew five naked^Shafts about two Foot long of
a ihining black, and fomewhat like thofe of a Porcupine: it had no Tail;
the Body large in veiled with black Feathers of a peculiar Texture, two
o f them coming out of one Pipe or Hofe, and lying one upon the
other, the upper being fomewhat the thicker or groffer, being about
feven or eight Inches long, flender, with thin-fet Filaments oppofite
one to another on each Side, and of different Lengths, thofe on the
Rump being fourteen Inches long; thefe Feathers had that Form and Si*
tuation, that the Bird at firft fight feemed to be covered with Hair inftead
of Feathers refembling the Skin of a black Bear : the Claws were black and
large, the infide Claw the longeft. Two of thefe Birds were to be feen
at the George Tavern at Charing-Crofs> to which Place I went to draw
them. Their Food was Bread, Fleih, Fruit, & c. which they fwallow
very greedily, having no Tongue: they were brought by a Dutch Ship
from Pal/ampank in Eafl-India. 3