209 
I am told that this Rhea is already known to some of the dealers 
in living animals as a distinct species ; and I hope it will not be long 
before we obtain further particulars concerning it, and discover what 
part of South America it inhabits. 
AN 
Ewe 
aly 
Fig. 3. 
I take this opportunity of bringing before the Society a short re- 
sumé of the present state of our knowledge of the species of Struthio- 
nid@, which appear to be more numerous than was formerly sup- 
posed, 
I. Struruio. 
The Athiopian type of the Struthionide (the most perfect of the 
kind, as is its type of the Anthropoid Apes) requires our first atten- 
tion. I have long suspected that the Ostrich of Southern Africa, 
when closely compared with the bird of the Sahara, will turn out to 
be a different species, and I know that many other naturalists share 
my views. The eggs, as Mr. Bartlett has shown in exhibiting his 
fine series of the eggs of Struthionide this evening, seem to present 
well-marked differences. That attributed to the Southern bird is 
smaller and very much smoother and less deeply pitted, the granula- 
tions in some specimens being nearly evanescent. But I have reason 
to believe that the Southern bird is the larger in size. Through the 
unfortunate loss of both the young Ostriches presented to the So- 
ciety by Sir George Grey last summer, we have missed the opportu- 
nity which we should otherwise have had of comparing them with 
the noble examples of the Northern bird which grace our Mena- 
gerie. But, as Sir George Grey, who is now returning to the Cape 
Colony, has promised to obtain for us other adult examples, there 
No. 430.—ProceEepineés oF THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 
