24 BULLETIN 133, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



deep boom from a depression bordering a stream, and soon after 

 saw a rhea running away through the acacias. The sound is decep- 

 tive, as it frequently seemed to come from a great distance when, as 

 in the present instance, the bird was quite near. In fact the rhea 

 sounds nearly as loud when far distant as when close at hand. 

 Though the birds frequented the open camps, they followed narrow 

 trails through bands of forest leading from one open tract to an- 

 other. When not alarmed they Avalked slowly along, feeding from 

 the ground. When approached they took sudden alarm and ran 

 away with long strides, often with spread wings, covering the 

 ground rapidly. 



Rheas were to be stalked only with great care. In hunting them 

 the Tobas cut small, leafy limbs from shrubs that did not wither 

 quickly, and tied these on their bodies until they resembled bushes. 

 In this disguise, one by the way that was most effective, they worked 

 slowly down on the unsuspecting birds, advancing when the rheas 

 were feeding with heads down, and remaining motionless when the 

 rheas raised their heads to observe the country. Advance was 

 made until within a few meters when the birds were killed with 

 bow and arrow, or by a discharge from a single-barreled shotgun 

 loaded with slugs. The Tobas and Pilagas in Formosa claimed 

 that these birds possessed a keen sense of smell and were always 

 careful to hunt them up wind. Whether there is truth in the asser- 

 tion is uncertain, but it may be remarked that many Indians were 

 readily detected even where the olfactory sense in the observer was 

 only moderately developed. 



On September 23, at Kilometer 110, I purchased two young rheas 

 only 3 or 4 days old, for a yard of light-weight canvas from 

 Capita-i, an Anguete. These young had a mournful little whistle, 

 repeated constantly, that carried for some distance. They were in- 

 teresting little birds, erect in carriage, with a preternaturally old 

 appearance that was betrayed at once by their stumbling over slight 

 obstacles as they walked or ran. In resting they frequently leaned 

 against some object instead of lying prone, as do the young of many 

 other long-legged birds. 



One young rhea from this same brood was kept alive. It proved 

 to be tame and unsuspicious, and, in fact, sought human company. 

 At freedom in the patio at the ranch house it responded readily to 

 an imitation of its note, and spent many hours reclining against my 

 feet and ankles as I worked on notes and specimens. It was es- 

 pecially prone to do this toward evening when it became tired, and 

 apparently in its eyes long-legged humans filled the place normally 

 occupied by a long-legged father rhea. Young birds were common 

 in a domestic state in many of the regions visited. When small 

 they form odd and amusing pets, fearless and friendly in every way ; 



