216 RHEID^E. 



Order XXI. STRTTTHIONES. 



Fam. L1V. RHEID.E, OR KHEAS. 



The Order of Struthious Birds or Ostriches is represented in South 

 America by the Nandu or Rhea, which is at once distinguished from 

 the African Ostrich (Struthio) by having three toes instead of two, as 

 also by many other important points of structure. 



Both the known species of Rhea are found within our limits. 



433. RHEA AMERICANA, Lath. 

 (COMMON RHEA.) 



Rhea americana, Darwin, Zool. Voy. t BeagleJ iii. p. 120 ; Burm. La-Plata Reise, 

 ii. p. 500 ; Scl. et Sale. Nomencl. p. 154 ; Sclater, Trans. Zool. Soc. iv. p. 355, 

 pi. Ixviii. j Gadow, P. Z. S. 1885, p. 308. 



Description. Above, head blackish; neck whitish, becoming black at the 

 base of the neck and between the shoulders ; rest slaty grey : beneath, throat 

 and upper neck whitish, becoming black at the base of the neck, whence arise 

 two black lateral crescents, one on either side of the upper breast ; rest of under 

 surface whitish ; front of tarsus throughout covered with broad transverse scutes : 

 whole length about 52'0 inches, tarsus 12*0 ; tarsus bare. 



Hab. Pampas of S. America north of Rio Negro. 



Head of Rhea americana. 

 (P. Z. S. 1860, p. 208.) 



The Common Rhea (called "Nandu" in the Guarani language, 

 " Chueke" by the pampas Indians, and "Ostrich" by Europeans) is 



