562 FLIGHTLESS BIRDS, 



bodies. In regard to the breeding-habits of the rheas, Darwin writes that "when 

 we were at Bahia Blanca in the months of September and October, the eggs, in 

 extraordinary numbers, were found all over the country. They lie either scattered 

 and single, in which case they are never hatched, and are called by the Spaniards 

 huachos ; or they are collected together into a shallow excavation, which forms the 

 nest. Out of the four nests which I saw, three contained twenty-two eggs each, 

 and the fourth twenty-seven. In one day's hunting on horseback sixty-four eggs 

 were found; forty-four of these were in two nests, and the remaining twenty 

 scattered huachos. The Gauchos unanimously affirm, and there is no reason to 

 doubt their statement, that the male bird alone hatches the eggs, and for some time 

 afterwards accompanies the young. The cock when on the nest lies very close ; 

 I have myself almost ridden over one. It is asserted that at such times they are 

 occasionally fierce, and even dangerous, and that they have been known to attack 

 a man on horseback, trying to kick and leap on him." The truth of the statement 

 that the cock undertakes the whole work of incubation has been demonstrated not 

 only by observations made upon wild birds, but on captive specimens, which in 

 England have bred freely. In the common rhea the period of incubation lasts 

 from thirty to thirty-one days ; and while in the south the usual number of eggs 

 in a nest is from fifteen to twenty, in the north as many as thirty-two have been 

 observed. 



The rhea, like the guanaco, is hunted with the bolas, one method 

 being for a number of mounted men armed with these implements to 

 enclose, with the aid of the female portion of the tribe, a considerable tract of 

 country, and thus slaughter all the game contained within the circle ; while the 

 second, and more sporting plan, is for a single horseman to pursue the bird. In 

 the latter case a horse of great endurance, and endowed with a fair turn of speed, 

 is absolutely essential ; while it is further requisite that it should have learnt to 

 follow all the twistings and doublings of the birds. The supreme skill and judg- 

 ment in casting the bolas at the right moment, and with the requisite strength and 

 accuracy of aim, necessary to ensure bringing the game to bay, can in general be 

 acquired only by those who have been accustomed to the use of the weapon from 

 their childhood. The rheas have been hunted with the bolas for about two 

 centuries, during which period they have learnt to start off at speed on catch- 

 ing sight of a mounted man ; but till some five-and- twenty years ago, up to which 

 date they were never shot, they displayed supreme disregard for a person on foot. 



THE CASSOWARIES AND EMEUS. 

 Family (jASUARTIDJE. 



Two important features serve at once to distinguish the cassowaries and their 

 near allies the emeus from the ostriches and rheas ; the first of these being that the 

 feathers have after- shafts of such large size as to make them practically double ; 

 while the second peculiarity is to be found in the eggs, which, instead of being 

 light-coloured and smooth, are dark green in colour and granulated in texture. 

 From the observations of Mr. W. Bennett on domestic emeus, it further appears 



