298 cassell's book of birds. 



In addition to the all-reaching destmctiveness of mankind, the great enemy to the Nandus is fire. 

 About the time when these birds are beginning to breed, the herdsmen are in the habit of taking 

 advantage of a high wind, for the purpose of burning the long dry grass upon the vast steppes or 

 prairies, in order to clear them from the last year's straw. Before such a fire as is thus kindled all 

 living beings can only take refuge in the low-lying and wettest portions of the country, and 

 innumerable animals suffer a cruel death. On these occasions the inhabitants of the district collect 

 as a great prize all the Nandus' eggs upon which they can lay their hands. One of these eggs indeed 

 is worth about fifteen Hens' eggs, and is with the natives a very favourite dish. To prepare them, the 

 narrow end is broken open, the white, which is said to have a disagreeable taste, is thrown away, and 

 then having added a little butter, salt, and pepper, the yolk is cooked by being stirred over the fire, 

 using the egg-shell as a saucepan. To boil one of these eggs hard in European fashion, requires 

 forty minutes. They are excellent for all culinary purposes, but unfortunately will not keep. The 

 flesh of the Nandu much resembles horse-flesh in its colour, nevertheless the old birds are a favourite 

 dish among the Indians, while the young are not distasteful even to European palates ; they likewise 

 afford a rich supply of oily, semi-fluid fat, which while fresh is much esteemed, and used like butter. 

 Unfortunately, however, it soon becomes rancid, and is then only useful for softening leather ; and 

 even for this purpose, in a country so abounding in hides, it is not of much value. Out of the skin 

 covering the neck the Gauchos are in the habit of manufacturing small bags, suitable for many 

 domestic articles, while from the flexible shafts of the feathers, boys construct springes with which 

 they catch water-fowl. The full-grown feathers of the mature bird are likewise used as ornaments to 

 the harness of horses, or are woven into very beautiful rugs, the patterns of which are extremely 

 elegant and varied. Feathers of inferior value are made into bunches for dusting furniture, while the 

 best and largest afford plumes scarcely inferior to those of the Ostrich. 



Booking estimates the duration of the life of the Nandu at fourteen or fifteen years, and believes 

 that many of them die from sheer old age, inasmuch as he has observed individuals (especially in the 

 winter season) at the point of death, but exhibiting no external injury or internal lesion to account 

 for their condition. 



With the exception of mankind, these gigantic and swift- footed birds indeed might seem to enjoy 

 an immunity from the attacks of any ordinary assailants. Sometimes the adult may be surprised by a 

 prowling jaguar, or an Eagle may swoop upon the young, and by chance carry off a victim, but such 

 accidents would seem to be of rare occurrence. Perhaps among the most inveterate of their foes are 

 the Spurred Lapwings {Hoplopterus spinosus), whose animosity against these giants of the prairie is 

 positively ludicrous. No sooner does a Nandu approach a pair of these little birds than they set up 

 an intolerable screeching, like Crows on the appearance of a Hawk ; they strike at him with their 

 wings, and by the pertinacity of their attacks generally make him glad to get away from such 

 contemptible assailants, who valorously follow him for a little distance, and return with every 

 demonstration of triumph. 



The chase of the Rhea is a very favourite exercise. The Indians and the Gauchos hunt them on 

 horseback, kill them ^vith the bolas, or course them with dogs bred for the purpose ; indulging in this 

 sport not so much for the sake of the booty as for the purpose of testing the swiftness and endurance 

 of their noble horses, and their o^vn skill in throwing the bolas or the lasso. When a hunting party is 

 announced, numerous well-mounted horsemen assemble, and taking advantage of the wind, approach 

 the birds as closely as they can, at a slow pace, until the moment when the Nandus begin to run, 

 which is the signal for man and horse to exert themselves to the uttermost, and at length an individual 

 is singled out and separated from the flock as the special object of attack. In spite of the swiftness 

 of the poor bird, the Gauchos are soon close at his heels, and the horseman who happens to gain 



