ZOOLOGY. 101 



capable of contairvng water, which these animals are enabled 

 to convey to their young, in the extensive plains to which 

 they resort. Two species are natives of Britain. 



ORDER VI, 



Struthiones.— sr/2c/r///o c/s. 



The Birds of this Order are distinguishable from the pre- 

 ceding, by their being destitute of the power of flying ; the 

 great bulk of their bodies, conjoined to the shortness, and in 

 one instance total absence of wings, effectually prevents their 

 raising themselves from off the ground ; to counterbalance 

 this seeming defect, they possess greater swiftness of foot 

 than any other known Animals ; insomuch that some of the 

 species will outrun the swiftest coursers. 



Their internal structure differs greatly from all the other 

 families of Birds, as well as from each other. The Ostrich 

 possesses the usual intestines accompanying Graminivorous 

 Birds ; and also a gizzard, capable of resisting the action of 

 the hardest substances, and the power of rejecting such sub- 

 stances, without injury to the internal parts. The Cassow- 

 ary has intestines of a similar structure with those of Carni- 

 Torous Birds, likewise a gizzard as in the Ostrich. In their 

 wild state they affect open countries, and feed on vegetable 

 substances, worms, and small reptiles ; they are all very shy 

 and so exceedingly swift, that unless captured when quite 

 young, they are rarely to be obtained but by the gun. The 

 Order consists of three genera. 



H 3 



