320 COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY. 
and fruit, and, excepting the /@hea, or American Ostrich, 
Fia. 304.—African Ostrich (Struthio camelus). 
belong to the Old 
World. 
7. Rasores, or 
Scratchers. As a 
rule, this order, so 
valuable to Man, is 
characterized by a 
short, arched bill; 
short and concave 
wings, unfitted for 
protracted flight ; 
stout legs, of me- 
dium length; and 
four toes, the three 
in front being uni- 
ted by ashort web, 
and terminating in 
blunt claws. The 
legs are usually 
feathered to the heel, sometimes (as in Grouse) to the toes. 
The feathers of the body are large and coarse. The males 
generally have gay 
plumage, and some 
appendage to the 
head. The nostrils 
are covered by a 
scale or valve. Their 
main food is grain. 
Such are the Grouse, 
Partridges, Turkeys, 
Pheasants, Poultry, 
and Curassows. To 
these may be added 
Fig. 305.—Prairie-chicken (Cupidonia cupido). 
Western prairies. 
Pigeons and Doves, although they stand intermediate be- 
