250 CURSORES. STRUTHIONID^. 



The various species, which are not numerous, 

 inhabit the vast plains of Africa, South America, 

 Australia, and the great islands of the Oriental 

 Archipelago. One singular form is confined to 

 New Zealand. They mostly associate in flocks, 

 and subsist on grain, fruits, and herbage, to which 

 worms, insects, and other animal substances, are 

 sometimes added. Some of them are able to 

 swim with facility, though the toes are not 

 webbed. They are birds of imposing appearance, 

 but though watchful and suspicious, possess but 

 little intelligence. 



GENUS DROMAIUS. (ViEiLL.) 



In this Australian form of the Struthionicke, the 

 beak is straight, with the edges very much de- 

 pressed, rounded at the tip, and slightly keeled 

 along the ridge. The nostrils are large, protected 

 by a membrane, opening about the middle of the 

 upper part of the beak. The head is feathered; 

 the throat nearly naked. The feet have three 

 toes armed with blunt, hoof-like claws. 



The Emu of New South Wales and Southern 

 Australia (Dromaius Novce-Hollandice, LATH.) is 

 now well known to us by the numerous specimens 

 which have been sent to this country, some of 

 which have bred in our menageries. In size and 

 height it nearly equals the African Ostrich, for 

 the males are said to attain a stature of above 

 seven feet, and some of the specimens in captivity 

 are but little inferior to this. The hair-like plu- 

 mage divides along the line of the back, and falls 

 gracefully over on each side ; it is generally of a 

 dusky brown, mottled on the under parts with 



