O’ORDER 
STRUTHIONES, 
Rostrum mediocre^ rectum, depressum, culmine out lava auf 
carhiato, apice rotundato, ohtuso vel acuto. 
Caput calvum aut plumosum. 
Pedes cursorii, didactyli vel tridactyli ; Femora supra genua 
plumis denudata. 
h'LM breves, volatu inepta. 
Beak medial, straight, depressed ; the ridge smooth or keeled, 
the tip rounded, obtuse, or acute. 
Head naked or feathered. 
Feet formed for running, -fo»r--toed or three-toed ; the thighs 
above the knee destitute of feathers. 
Wings short, unfit for flight. 
This order embraces some of the largest of the 
class, containing only the ostrich-like birds : they 
are all noted for the rapidity with which they run, 
in which they are assisted by their wings, which 
are very short. 
Cuvier observes that the birds included in this 
order differ from all other birds, in that the sternum 
is destitute of a ridge or keel. The muscles of 
the breast are so small as not to have power 
enough to expand the wings sufficiently to enable 
them to support the body of the bird in the air : 
on the contrary, those of the legs and thighs are 
very large, and remarkably strong, being well 
adapted for long and powerful strides. 
