THE NANDOU. 391 



are tamed with, the greatest ease, becoming very familiar in the 

 house, visiting the various apartments, wandering about the streets, 

 and even into the country ; but they always return to their homes 

 before sunset. 



The flesh of the adult Nandou is by no means agreeable ; that 

 of the young, on the contrary, is tender and sweet, and forms 



Fig. 154. Tbe Nandou, or Rkea (Struthij Rhea, Linn.). 



excellent food. Its skin, when properly dressed, is used for 

 bags, purses, &c., and their feathers serve for plumes and light 

 dusting brooms. We owe the perfect knowledge of a second 

 species of E/hea to Mr. Darwin, who has given a figure and ample de- 

 scriptions of the bird and its habits in "The Voyage of the Beagle;" 

 it has been named in consequence Rhea Darmnii. There is every 



