217 



ernplovcd for many purposes; the Indians make 

 of (liem plumcSj parasols^ &c. M. de Faaw, 

 who freqiientlv lo^es si9;hi of tlie title of his 

 v/ork^ represents Ihe eheuque as a degenerate 

 speeiei of the African ostrich, because it has 

 three toes instead of two; but were these birds 

 of the same species, wliich is far from being the 

 case, I am of opinion that the term degenerate 

 would be more applicable to the African ostrich, 

 as being less perfect in its limbs, than to that of 

 America. 



The pcqiicn (strix cunicularia) a species of 

 the owl, is rem.arkable for the large burrows 

 which it makes in the ground to deposit its eggs. 

 Feuille asserts that he himself had endeavoured 

 to dig to the end of one of them, but was 

 obliged to relinquish the attempt. This bird is 

 of the size of a pigeon, but its beak is very strong 

 and crooked, it has large nostrils, and large eyes 

 with a yellow iris; the upper part of its body is 

 grey, spotted with white, the lower part of a 

 dirij w liitc ; the tail, which scarcely extends be- 

 yoiid tlie qoills of the wiiigs, is cf the same 

 colour ; its thighs arc covered with feathers, 

 uiid the fret with tubercles, upon which are some 

 short hiir? ; tlie toes are strong, and armed with 

 black crooked talons. It is not so averse to light 

 jis otli'M's of 1^5 species, and is frequently seen by- 

 da y i'l conip-;nv with the female, neaj" the mouth 

 of its liol;v Its principal food is insects and rep- 



