VERTEBRATA : AVES. 



597 



in the Australian continent, and nearly equals the African 

 Ostrich in size, attaining a height of from five to seven feet. 

 The feet are furnished with three toes each, and the head is 







Fig- 3 2 9- Morphology of Cursores. A, Sternum of the Ostrich (Struthio camelus) : s 

 Scapula ; c Coracoid. B, Side view of the pelvis of the Ostrich : i Ilium ; / Pubis ; 

 is Ischium ; / Femur. C, Foot of Apteryx australis. D, Tarso-metatarsus of the 

 Apteryx, showing the hallux placed high up on its posterior surface. E, Foot of 

 the Rhea americana. < 



feathered. The throat, however, is naked, and the general 

 plumage resembles long hairs, the feathers hanging down on 

 both sides of the body from a central line or parting which 

 runs down the middle of the back. The Emeus are mono- 

 gamous, and the eggs are dark green in colour. The male 

 Emeu is smaller than the female, and undertakes all the duties 

 of incubation. Two varieties, or species, of the Emeu are 

 known one on the eastern and the other on the western side 

 of Australia. 



The last living group of the Struthionidce. is that of the Cas- 

 sowaries, best represented by the Galeated Cassowary (Casu- 

 arius galeatus), which inhabits the Moluccan Islands and New 

 Guinea, and was first brought alive to Europe by the Dutch. 

 It stands about five feet in height, and possesses a singular 

 horny crest upon its head. The head and neck are naked, 

 with pendent wattles, the wing has a short humerus, and the 

 feet have three toes each. The general plumage is black, and 

 the feathers more or less closely resemble hairs. The wings 

 are rudimentary, each with five naked pointed quills. The 

 male is much the smaller, and sits upon the eggs. Besides 



