452 THE rE.VTHEKEI) TRIBES. 



The flesli of the ostrich, when young, is good and palatable, and the eggs are considered 

 a o-reat delicacy. Both Euroijeans and natives agree in this last opinion. The Hottentot, 

 who abstracts the egg from the nest with a long stick, that the hen may not take alarm 

 at the human touch, and not abandon the nest, but go on laying, as the common hen 

 will do to a o-reat extent when her nest is robbed, buries them in hot ashes. They are 

 said to be excellent when eaten with a sufficient quantity of butter. The brains of 

 hxmdreds of these birds not unfrequently made a dish at the insane Roman suppers ; and 

 Firmus is said to have eaten a whole ostrich at a meal. The flesh of this bird was 

 prohibited by the Mosaical law as imclean, and the Arabs regard it in the same light ; 

 but many of the barbarous tribes in the interior of Africa feed on it without scruple. 

 The well-known plumes form a material article of commerce for the head-dresses of 

 European ladies, iSrc. 



THE NANDtl.* 



Such is the name given to what has also been termed the South American ostrich. It 

 is especially plentiful in the neighbourhood of the lake Nahuelguapi, iu the valley of the 

 Andes. It is a voracious feeder, devouring everything indiscriminately like the ostrich ; 

 fruits and vegetables are its ordinary diet, but it catches flies, of which it is very fond, 

 with peculiar address. 



" This bird," says Mr. Darwin, " is well known to abound on the plains of La Plata. 

 To the north it is foimd, according to Azara, in Paraguay, where, however, it is not 

 common ; to the south, its limit appears to be from 42° to 43°. It has not crossed the 

 Cordillera ; but I have seen it within the first range of mountains on the Uspallata 

 plain, elevated between six and seven thousand feet. The ordinary habits of the ostrich 

 are well known. The}- feed on vegetable matter, such as roots and grass ; but at Bahia 

 Blanca I have repeatedly seen three or four come down at low water to the extensive 

 mud-banks, which are then dry, for the sake, as the Guachos say, of catching small fish. 

 Although the ostrich in its habits is so shy, wary, and solitary, and although so fleet in 

 its pace, it falls a prey, without much difficult}-, to the Indian or Guaclu) armed witli the 

 bolas. When several horsemen appear in a semicircle it becomes confounded, and does 

 not know which way to escape. They generally prefer running against the wind ; yet, 

 at the first start, they expand their wings, and, like a vessel, make all sail. On one fine 

 hot day I saw several ostriches enter a bed of tall rushes, where they squatted, concealed, 

 till quite closely approached." 



Tlie nandu stands about five feet five inches, or rather more, in its natural attitude ; 

 its general colour is a grayish brown, intermingled with black, but ligliter below. The 

 base of the neck is encircled by black, which passes on the breast into a semi-lunar 

 mark, pointing to each shoulder. The plumes of the wings are long and slender, and 

 those answering to <piill-l'eathers are white. Though the bird has been rare in Europe, 

 tlie plumes have been largely imported as an article of commerce ; they are fixed at the 

 end of a handle, and used, as dusting-brushes for trifling purposes. Tlu> Comale is smaller 

 than the male, and of a lighter colour. 



On the borders of the river La Plata the nandu is hunted by horsemen, wlio 

 cajjture or kill it with bolas, or thongs of leather, with stones attached to the ends, 

 and which are very effective weapons. So great, however, is the fleetness of the nandu, 

 that it cannot easily be overtaken. " One day," says Mr. Darwin (see " Narrative 

 of the Surveying Voyages of his Majesty's .ships Adventure and Beagle," Journal, 

 vol. iii.), " I went out hunting, at Bahia Blanca : the men rode in a crescent, each 



* Bhfa Amcncnnii.- Tcm. 



