LIVING IN THE SOCIETY'S MENAGERIE. 



357 



also very different, being of a brownish-grey mixed with black, and altogether much 

 darker than Rhea americana. The bird, which is a male, is represented (PI. LXIX.) in 

 the act of setting his feathers, as he constantly does, when in company with the female 

 R. americana, throughout the spring and summer. 



3. Rhea darwinii. (PI. LXX.) 



Rhea darwinii, Gould, P. Z. S. 1837, p. 35 ; Darwin, Zool. Voy. Beagle, iii. p. 123. pl. 4?. 



Fig. 3. 



Of this very distinct species of Rhea we have the fine male bird, purchased October 

 20th, 1858, which is represented in the accompanying plate (PI. LXX.). Judging from 

 this specimen, Darwin's Rhea, instead of being smaller than the common species, as is 

 usually supposed to be the case, seems to be the finest and the largest of the group, and 

 certainly most Ostrich-like in its characters of the three. I cannot, therefore, help 

 thinking that the " Avestruz petise " which Mr. Darwin alludes to in his Journal' may 

 possibly be the Rhea macrorhyncha, and not the Rhea darwinii, as he has been inclined 

 to suppose. It would be very interesting to learn the exact geographical distribution 

 of these three species. 



III. Casuarius. 

 This genus, of which until very recently the Casuarius galeatus was the only known 

 representative, has lately received a remarkable addition to its number of species. 

 Three different Cassowaries are at the present moment living in our Gardens ; and two 

 others have been recently described, one of which certainly appears to have every claim 

 to be considered a distinct species. 



' Journal of Researches, &c. (1860) p. 93. 



