OSTRICHES. 39 



down tlie swiftest l)ir(ls within two miles at favtliest. The Indians use the 'l)olas' 

 with nuR-li skill, the one used for ostriches consisting of two half-iiound leaden balls, 

 connected by eight feet of twisted rawhide twine. Whirling; this about the head and 

 'letting fly' at the running bird, they often entangle his legs at a distance of thirty to 

 fifty yards, and I was told that it was frenuontly done at one liundrcd. Single hunters 

 stalk ostriches sometimes in the following way : Getting to windward of the bird, the 

 latter soon scents him and lies down, only sticking up his head above the grass. The 

 hunter may then creep directly u[) within shot, if the grass be long enough to shelter 

 liini, and the bird is shot through neck or head before he rises." 



On two occasions, Mr. Darwin witnessed the lihea crossing the Santa Cruz river, 

 where its course was about four hundred yards wide, and the stream rapid. Tiiey 

 made but slow jirogress, their necks were extended slightly forward, init little of the 

 body ajijieared above water. The statement as regards the swimming capacities of 

 the bird in question has been corroborated by Mr. Cunningham. 



The feathers are of little value compared with those of tlie African ostricli, and 

 are mainly used for rugs, dusters, brooms, etc. ; the yield of a llhea will average about 

 three pounds, and the value is from one to two dollars per pound on the spot. 



The hen lays from ten to twenty-three eggs in the shallow excavation formed by tiie 

 male in the ground, and arranged liy him with a few leaves and grasses for a nest, but 

 numerous eggs are also dropped here and there over the plains. That these are des- 

 tined for food for the young chick is a mere myth. Mr. Darwin's experience was to 

 the following eftVct : At Baliia Blanca, in the months of October and Septond)er, an 

 extraordinary number of eggs were found all over the country. The eggs either lie 

 scattered about, or are collected together in a shallow excavation or nest ; in the for- 

 mer case they are never hatched, and are termed by the Spaniards Iluachos. Tlie 

 (Jauchos unanimously affirmed, and later experience with birds in captivity corrol)o- 

 rates it, that the male bird alone hatches the eggs, and for some time afterwards 

 accompanies the young. Mr. Darwin also states that the cock bird sits so closely that 

 he has almost ridden over one on the nest. 



Before closing the present account we shall reproduce the jarn told 3Ir. Barrows 

 by one of the natives, who thought he had found an explanation of the many eggs 

 spread over the jilains. When an ostrich has built a nest and laid the full number of 

 eggs, he argued, she is naturally anxious to be able to tind the nest again after having 

 wandered away to any distance. This she manages by simply laying eggs at intervals 

 of half a mile or so over the adjacent country, ]dacing each egg with its smaller end 

 jiointing directly towards the nest ! Ben trovato I! 



The " Avestruz Petise," as RJi. danoinii is called by the Gauchos, is smaller, and 

 is said not to expand its wings when running at full sjieed, as does the common species. 

 It inhabits Patagonia, from ilagellan's Strait to the Ivio Negro. 



Both as regards geographical distribution and anatomical peculiarities, the 

 cas.sowaries and emus, the superfamily CASUAROIDE.E, hold a somewhat isolated 

 |)03ition in the present geological period. ^lost significant, perhaps, is the extreme re- 

 ilnction of the fore-extremities, which could harcUy become smaller without disa]ipear- 

 ing altogether externally ; the liand has, moreover, only one claw-l»earing finger. They 

 are furthermore distinguished from the two foregoing groups in tliat neither pubes 

 nor ischia unite into a ventral symi)hvsis. The ambiens muscle is absent, tliough pres- 

 ent in the other Dronueognallne, ami the feathers are proviiled with affershafts, con- 

 trary to what is the case in Strutkio and Rhea. Both carotids arc developed. 



