296 CLASS AVES. 



chal, in the Menagerie of the Museum of M. M. 

 Lacepede and Cuvier, copied in Vieill. Gal. 223. 



The feet of which have only two toes, the external 

 one, shorter by a half than the other, being without 

 claw. This bird, which is famous from the most 

 remote antiquity, and is very numerous in the sandy 

 deserts of Arabia, and the whole of Africa, attains 

 from six to eight feet in height ; they associate in 

 large bodies ; lay eggs of nearly three pounds in 

 weight, which (in very hot climates) they merely 

 expose to the heat of the sun in the sand, but on 

 which they sit, out of the tropics, and cherish and 

 defend every where with courage. 



The ostriches live on herbs and grain ; and their 

 taste is so obtuse, that they swallow indifferently 

 flint stones, bits of iron, brass, &c. When pursued 

 they fling stones behind them with great force : no 

 animal can catch them running. 



The American Emeu. Lath. Hist. t. 134. Nan- 

 dou, Churii ^c. Struthio Rhea. Lin. Hammer. 

 Ann. Mus. XII. 39. Vieill. Galer. 224. 



Brisson and Buffbn have, improperly from Barr^re, 

 applied the name Touyou, or rather Touiouiou, which 

 belongs to the Jabiru ; it is the genus JRhea of 

 Brisson. The Portuguese of Brazil have transferred 

 to it the name of Emeu, which belongs properly to 

 the cassowary. 



Nearly half less than the last j less furnished 



