450 Zoological Society, 



form, but placed wider apart, and these supply the middle spongy 

 bones which are longer but not so broad as in the Turkey. The 

 olfactory branch of the 5th pair is double the size of that in the 

 Vulture or Turkey ; it gives, however, not a greater proportion of 

 filament to th^ nose than in those birds, but is mainly expended upon 

 the membrane covering the upper mandible. 



f'The above notes show that the Vulture has a well-developed 

 organ of smell, but whether he finds his prey by that sense alone, 

 or in what degree it assists, anatomy is not so well calculated to ex- 

 plain as experiment. 



" I will bring my preparations showing the above at next meeting, 

 and am truly yours, 



" Royal College of Surgeons, March 7th." " R. OwEN." 



Mr. Gould brought before the notice of the meeting, from the col- 

 lection of Mr. Darwin, a new species of Rhea from Patagonia, and 

 after offering some observations upon the distribution of the Stru- 

 thionidce, and upon the great interest attending this addition to that 

 family, he remarked that the new species is distinguished from Rhea 

 Americana of authors, in being one-fifth less in size, in having the 

 hill shorter than the head, and the tarsi reticulated in front in- 

 stead of scutellated, and in being plumed below the knee for several 

 inches. It has also a more densely plumed wing, the feathers of 

 which are broader, and all terminated by a band of white. 



Mr. Gould, in conclusion, adverted to the important accessions to 

 science resulting from the exertions of Mr. Darwin, and to his libe- 

 rality in presenting the Society with his valuable Zoological Collec- 

 tion ; to commemorate which he proposed to designate this interest- 

 ing species by the name of Rhea Darwinii. 



Mr. Darwin then read some notes upon the Rhea Americana, and 

 upon the newly described species, but principally referring to the 

 former. 



This bird abounds over the plains of Northern Patagonia and the 

 United Provinces of La Plata ; and though fleet in its paces and shy 

 in its nature, it yet falls an easy prey to the hunters, who confound 

 it by approaching on horseback in a semicircle. When pursued it 

 generally prefers running against the vrind, expanding its wings to 

 the full extent. It is not generally known that the Rhea is in the 

 habit of swimming, but on two occasions Mr. Darwin witnessed their 

 crossing the Santa Cruz river, where its course was about 400 yards 

 wide and the stream rapid. They make but slow progress, their necks 

 are extended slightly forwards, but little of the body appears above 

 water. At Bahia Blanca, in the months of October and September, 

 an extraordinary number of eggs are found all over the country. 

 The eggs either lie scattered about, or are collected together in a 

 shallow excavation or nest; in the former case they are never hatched, 

 and are termed by the Spaniards Huachos. The Gauchos unani- 

 mously afiirm that the male bird alone hatches the eggs, and for 

 some time afterwards accompanies the young. Mr. Darwin does 

 not doubt the accuracy of this fact, and states that the cock bird 



