THE AMERICAN OSTRICH 



the humming birds. The mysterious nature of the kiwi 

 is emphasized by its weird silence even when attacked 

 by beasts or handled by man. For it can cry and does 

 during the breeding season, the cry being, as it is sup- 

 posed, a means of communication between the two 

 sexes. The female has the louder and a husky voice, 

 the male has a more piping call, the voice difference 

 being in accord with the reversed relative positions of 

 the male and female bird. The reserved character 

 of the kiwi has led to the supposition that it was rarer 

 than is actually the case, and has given rise to myths. 

 One of these legends concerns its mode of incubation. 

 It was held that the apteryx fell in with the general 

 topsy-turviness of things antipodean, and after building 

 a nest incubated the young from below. This fable 

 was disproved by the nesting of a pair at the Zoo a good 

 many years ago. 



THE RHEA 



The South American ostrich is coloured of an agreeable 

 grey with black wings, a plan of colour which is, in 

 fact, not widely different from that of the hen ostrich 

 of Arabia and Africa. It is, however, quite a distinct 

 bird with no more than general points of resemblance 

 to its Old World relative. As the two birds are as a rule 

 to be seen side by side in enclosures at the Zoo, 'their 

 points of difference as well as of likeness can be easily 

 appreciated. The ostrich has a larger body, but rather 

 more feeble wings ; its toes are but two, and the difference 

 between the two sexes is at once apparent ; the male has 

 the fine black and white plumes so desirable in com- 

 merce. The rhea has quite good wings for a ratite 

 bird, so good that it could almost fly if the feathers 

 were not of the usual limp character of those of the 

 ratite or struthious birds. It has also a more per- 

 fectly framed organ of voice than its struthious allies, 



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