GRALLATORI^E. 153 



grain, &c., and so obtuse is its sense of taste that it swallows pebbles, pieces 

 of iron, copper, Sec. When pursued it dashes stones behind it with great 

 violence. No animal can overtake it in the race. 



Struth. rhea, L. (The American Ostrich. ) Is about one half smaller, with 

 more thinly furnished feathers, of a uniform grey colour; and particularly 

 distinguished by its three toes, all having nails. Its plumage is greyish, 

 browner on the back: a black line along the back of the neck in the male. 

 It is as common in the southern parts of South America, as the preceding 

 one is in Africa. When taken young 1 , it is easily tamed. Several females, 

 it is said, lay in the same nest, or rather the same hole, yellowish eggs, 

 which are hatched by the male. It is only eaten when very young. 



CASUAEIUS, Briss. 



The Cassowaries have wings still shorter than those of the Ostrich, and 

 totally useless, even in running. There are three toes to all the feet, each 

 furnished with a nail; the barbs of their feathers are so poorly provided 

 with barbulac, that at a distance they resemble pendent hairs. Two species 

 are known, each of which might also constitute a genus. 



Casuarius vulgaris, L. (The Cassowary. )The beak laterally compressed; 

 head surmounted by a bony prominence, covered with a horny substance; 

 skin of the head and top of the neck naked, of an azure-blue and a fiery red 

 colour, with pendent caruncles like those of the Turkey; some stiff stems 

 in the wings, without barbs, which the bird uses as weapons in combat; 

 nail of the internal toe much the strongest. It is the largest of all birds, 

 next to the Ostrich, and differs considerably from it in its anatomy. It feeds 

 on fruit and eggs, but not grain. The female lays a small number of green 

 eggs, which like the Ostrich she abandons to the solar heat. Found in 

 different islands of the Archipelago of India. 



Cos. Novae- Hollandise, Lath. (The Cassowary of New Holland.) A de- 

 pressed beak; no helmet on the head; a little naked skin about the ear; 

 plumage brown and more of it; more barbs to the feathers; no caruncles, 

 or spurs on the wing; nails of the toes about equal. Its flesh resembles 

 beef. Its speed is greater than that of the swiftest greyhound. The young 

 ones are striped with brown and black. 



FAMILY II. 



PRESSIROSTRES. 



This family comprises genera with long legs, without a thumb, 

 or in which the thumb is too short to reach the ground. The bill 

 is moderate, but strong enough to penetrate the earth in search of 

 worms; hence we find those species in which it is weakest frequent- 

 ing meadows and newly ploughed grounds to obtain that sort of food 



U 



