DESCRIPTION OF PLATES. 



Plate Issued No. in 



No. in Part. List. 



1, 2, 3 Rhea americana, R. rothschildi, R. pennata (American Rhea, 



Rothschild's Rhea and Darwin's Rhea). The Rheas are flightless 

 birds of very large size, measuring from four to five feet in height, 

 with small and imperfect wings, long legs and small feet ; represented 

 in Africa by the Ostriches and in Australia by the Emus, but most 

 nearly allied to the latter, having three toes on the foot instead of two 

 as in the former. The American Rhea is the E. Brazilian species, 

 Rothschild's Rhea, the common Rhea, is the sub-species (the R. 

 Americana of previous authors), inhabiting Uruguay, Argentina, etc., 

 and Darwin's Rhea is the Rhea of Patagonia and Chili. All frequent 

 open country, never wooded districts, and are found in parties of three 

 or four to twenty or thirty. When hunted by horsemen, who employ 

 the I'o/as, or thong and balls, they travel at a great speed, using the 

 wings only to steer with. The flesh of young birds is excellent but 

 the old are never eaten. Where not molested they will frequent the 

 neighbourhood of the estana'as. Several females lay in one nest, a 

 depression in the ground, each laying a dozen or more eggs, so that a 

 great number are sometimes found. 



5 Tinamus SOlitarius (Solitary Tinamou). The Tinamous, a remark- 



able group, have no very near affinity to any other family. Super- 

 ficially they resemble the Partridges, and are so called by the 

 Spaniards, while the flesh is most delicate eating. They are essentially 

 ground birds and swift runners, non-perching and non-gregarious ; in 

 size small, ranging from that of a Quail to that of a common fowl ; 

 some 70 species in all are found in South America. The flight is 

 heavy, noisy and short, but very rapid ; the food is insects chiefly, 

 also fruit, seeds and grain. The male alone incubates. Nest : a 

 hollow in the ground lined with leaves. Eggs : always clear unspotted 

 and highly polished, in colour turquoise, deep green, purple, yellow, 

 reddish, or chocolate brown according to the species. The Solitary 

 Tinamou inhabits Paraguay and S.E. Brazil. 



45 RhynchOtUS rufescens (Great Tinamou). Inhabits S.E. Brazil, 



Paraguay, Uruguay and Argentina. Known on the pampas of 

 Argentina as Ferdiz ;^ratide, or Great Partridge. It is about 14-in. in 

 length. The Perdiz comun or Common Partridge is the Spotted 

 Tinamou {No/kura maatlosa). 



69, 70 Taoniscus nanus (Dwarf Tinamou) ; Calopezus elegans (Martinetta 

 Tmamou). The Dwarf Tinamou inhabits Brazil and Paraguay. 

 The .Vtartinetta .says Hudson (the word Tinamou, by the way, is 

 never used except by naturalists for any of these birds) is a fine game 

 bird of Patagonia, south of the Rio Colorado, inhabiting the elevated 

 tablelands chiefly where patches of dwarf scrub occur among the 

 thorny thickets. It also occurs in W. Argentina. 



72 Tinaraotis pentlandi (Pentland's Tinamou). Inhabits the upland 



valleys of the mountain ranges from North Chili to Ecuador. 



96 Penelope Obscura (Dark C;uan). The Curassows and Guans, com- 



prismg the Gallinaceous family Cracidce, form one of the most 

 characteristic groups of the larger birds inhabiting the South American 

 forests. They number some fifty species, all essentially arboreal in 

 habits, frequenting dense woods and generally building a large nest in 

 trees, the eggs being white or merely speckled. The present species 

 has a wide range, viz. : Uruguay, S.E. Brazil, Bolivia and N. Argentina. 

 The other fifteen species of Penelope are confined to the more tropical 

 parts of S. America. 



