AVES. 
243 
through which the red hue of the skin is distinctly visible ; ears 
naked on the outside and hairy internally ; eyes large, prominent, 
and brilliant, irides yellow-orange; upper eyelid mobile provided 
with eyelashes. Eight feet high. Inhabits Africa. 
Genus 2.—RHEA— Brisson. 
Generic Character. —Bill nearly straight, slightly hollowed in 
the middle, of medium length, soft, strong at the base, depressed, 
and covered by a membrane ; rounded at the point; nostrils to¬ 
wards the point, longitudinally cleft and open ; legs long; front 
of tarsus furnished with large scales, and small circular ones 
behind, with a distinctly developed heel at bottom ; feet with 
three anterior toes, furnished with strong, long, obtuse claws, 
ridged on their sides; wings short, provided with plumes of 
different lengths, and having a spur at their point; without a 
tail. 
Rhea Americana .— American Ostrich. 
Plate LVII. fig. 5. 
Head white; neck and body cream-yellow, lineated with 
black, clouded with brown; upper plumes of the wings gray, 
lower ones bright umber-brown ; rump plumes pure white ; 
crissum naked; ophthalmic region and bill yellow; irides orange- 
brown ; eyes and front surrounded by numerous upright small 
hairs and plumes. Six feet high. Inhabits South America. 
Genus 3.—D ROMA I US.— Vieillot. 
Generic Character .—Bill straight, the edges much depressed, 
somewhat carinated at the top, and rounded at the point; nos¬ 
trils large, oblique, situated forward near the edge of the upper 
mandible, and covered by a membrane; legs strong; tarsus 
scaly, with a heel at bottom; feet with three toes directed for¬ 
ward, furnished with strong, slightly bent claws ; wings very 
short. 
Dromaius ater .— Emu. 
Plate XLVIII. fig. 2. 
Cheeks and ophthalmic region naked, blue; front, crown, 
and back of the neck, with long upright feathers ; whole plum¬ 
age brown, of different shades, consisting of pendulous thinly 
u 2 
