RHEA. — Rhea Americana 



first I heard it, while standing in the midst of some sand hillocks, I thought it was made 

 liy some wild beast, for it is such a sound that one cauuot tell from whence it comes, or 

 from how far distant. 



When we were at Bahia Blanca, in the months of September and October, the ewers 

 were found in extraordinary numbei-s all over the comitry. They either lie scattered 

 singly, in wliich case tliey are never hatched, and are called by the Spaniards " huachos " 

 or they are collected together into a hollow excavation, which forms tlie nest. Out of the 

 four nests which I saw, three contained twenty-two eggs eacli, and the fourth twentj- 

 seven. In one day's hunting on horseback sixty-four eggs were found ; fort3^-four of these 

 were in two nests, and the remaining twenty, scattered huachos. The Gauchos 

 unanimously affirm, and there is no reason to doubt their statement, that the male bird 

 alone hatches the eggs, and that he, for some time afterwards, accompanies the youn^ 

 The cock, while in the nest, lies very close ; I have myself almost ridden over one. It is 

 asserted that at such times they are occasioualh' fierce, and even dangerous, and that they 

 have been known to attack a man on horseback, trying to kick and leap on him. Mv 

 informant pointed out to me an old man whom he had seen much terrified bv one of these 

 birds chasing liim." 



