454 THE FEATHF.REn TlUr.ES. 



1o the well-e5t:ibHshed fact, that, the eggs in the nest are carefully tended by both tlie 

 males and the females of the associated party ? 



THE PATAGOXIAN RHEA.* 



In Southern Patagonia a distinct species of rhea exists, IxJica Dann'in'i, which Goidd 

 first described (from a specimen brought home by Mr. Darwin) at the scientific meeting 

 of the Zoological Society, Blarch 14, 1837. It is much less than the common rhea; the 

 bill is shorter than the head, and the tarsi, instead of being broadly scaled in front, are 

 covered with scaly reticulations. The tarsi, moreover, are plumed for several inches 

 below the knee ; the wings are more fully feathered, the plumes being broadei', and 

 terminated b}' a band of white. 



It is to the discoverer of this species, Mr. Darwin, that we altogether owe our know- 

 ledge of its habits. " When at Rio Negro, or Northern Patagonia," he writes, " I 

 repeatedly heard the Guachos talking of a very rare bird, which they called iircsfrKZjirfixc. 

 They described it as being less than their common ostrich, which is there abundant, 

 but \Yith a very close general resemblance. They said its colour was dark and mottled, 

 and that its legs M'ere shorter and featliered lower down than those of the connnon 

 ostrich. It is more easily caught by the bola than the other species. The few inha- 

 bitants who had seen both kinds afiirmed they coidd distinguish them apart from a long 

 distance. The eggs of the small species, however, appeared more generally known, 

 and it was remarked, with surprise, that they were very little less than those of 

 the common rhea, but of a slightly distinct form, and with a tinge of pale blue. 

 Some eggs picked up on the plains of Patagonia agree pretty well with this descrip- 

 tion, and I do not doubt are those of the petise. This species occurs most rarely 

 on the plains bordering the Rio Negro, but about a degree and a half further 

 south they are tolerably abundant. One Guacho, however, said he distinctly recollected 

 having seen one, many years before, near the mouth of the Rio Colorado, which is to 

 the north of the Rio Negro. They are said to jjrefer the plains near the sea. 



" When at Port de Desire, in Patagonia, ]\Ir. ]\Iartcns shot aji ostrich, and I looked at 

 it, forgetting for the moment, in a most miaccountable manner, the whole subject of the 

 petises, and thought it was a two-third grown one of the common sort. The bird A^as 

 cooked and eaten before my memory returned. Fortunately the head, neck, legs, wings, 

 many of the larger feathers, and a large part of the skin, had been preserved. From 

 these a very nearly perfect specimen has been put together, and is now exhibited in the 

 museum of the Zoological Society." It is from this specimen, unique in Europe, that 

 the description referred to is taken. 



" Among the I'atagonian Indians, in the Strait of IMagellan, we found a half-bred 

 Indian, who had lived some years with the tribe, but who had been born in the northern 

 provinces. I asked him if he had ever heard of the avestruz petise. lie answered by 

 •saying, 'Why, there are none others in these southern countries.' Tie informed me 

 that the number of eggs in the nest of the petise is considerably less than with tlie other 

 kind, namely, not more than fifteen on an average; but he asserted that more llian 

 one female deinisited them." 



The petise is more shy and wary than the common rliea, and distinguishes the horse- 

 men at a groat distance. In ascending the river at Santa Cruz few were seen, but more 

 when the paj'ty returiu'd, rapidly desct'iiding the currt-nt. TIu\v were either in pairs or 

 in small parties of four or five. When disturbed, and preparing to run, tliis species <loes 

 not, like the other, expand its wing-plumes; it, however, takes as readily to the walir, 



* IJllcn Dmwinii. Oovikl. 



