THE AVESTRUZ PETIRE. 119 



been put together, and is now exhibited in the mu- 

 seum of the Zoological Society. Mr. Gould, in 

 describing this new species, has done me the hon- 

 our of calling it after my name. 



Among the Patagonian Indians in the Strait of 

 Magellan, we found a half Indian, who had lived 

 some years with the tribe, but had been born in 

 the northern provinces. I asked him if he had ever 

 heard of the Avestruz Petise ] He answered by 

 saying, " Why there are none others in these south- 

 ern countries." He informed me that the number 

 of eggs in the nest of the petise is considerably less 

 than in that of the other kind, namely, not more 

 than fifteen on an average ; but he asserted that 

 more than one female deposited them. At Santa 

 Cruz we saw several of these birds. They were 

 excessively wary : I think they could see a person 

 appi-oaching when too far off to be distinguished 

 themselves. In ascending the river few were seen ; 

 but in our quiet and rapid descent, many, in pairs 

 and by fours or fives, were observed. It was re- 

 marked that this bird did not expand its wings, 

 when first starting at full speed, after the manner 

 of the northem kind. In conclusion, I may observe, 

 that the Struthio rhea inhabits the country of La 

 Plata as far as a little south of the Rio Negro in 

 lat. 41°, and that the Struthio Darwinii takes its 

 place in Southern Patagonia; the part about the 

 Rio Negro being neutral temtory. M. A. d'Or- 

 bigny,* when at the Rio Negro, made great exer- 

 tions to procure this bird, but never had the good 

 fortune to succeed. Dobrizhoffer long ago was 



* When at Rio Negro, we heard much of the indefatigable la- 

 bours of this naturalist. M. Alcide d'Orbigny, during the years 

 1825 to 1833, traversed several large portions of South America, 

 and has made a collection, and is now publishing the results on 

 a scale of magnificence, which at once places himself in the list 

 «f American travellers second only to Humboldt. 



