436 
AMERICAN RHEA. 
(Rhea Americana.) 
Rh, corpore alboy alis dorsoque obscure griseis. \Variat corpore 
toto albo, interdum nigro.) 
Rhea with a white body j the wings and back obscure grey. 
(Varies in having the body entirely white or black.) 
Rhea Americana. Lath. Ind. Orn. 2. 665. 1. 
Rhea. Briss. Orn. 5. p. 8. 
Struthio Rhea. Linn. Syst. Nat. 1. 266. 3. — Gmel. Syst. Nat. 
1. 727. 
Struthio-camelus Amerjcanus, Nhandu-guacu. — Rail. Syn. 36. 2. 
Le Touyou. Buff. Ois. l. 452. 
American Ostrich. Will. (Ang.) p. 150. — Lath. Gen. Syn. 
5. 23*. 
American Rhea. Lath. Syn. Sup. II. 292. 1. 
This bird is a native of South America, and 
although extremely common in many parts of 
that continent, specimens have rarely been seen in 
England : it is rather less than the Ostrich, being 
about six feet in height, of which the neck is two 
feet eight inches : the head is small, rounded, and 
covered with feathers : eyes black : eyelids fur- 
nished with eyelashes : the beak short and broad : 
the general colour of the plumage on the back 
and wings is dull grey, but in some individuals 
wholly white, in others black : the wings stretch 
from tip to tip no less than eight feetj but on 
account of the webs being disunited, are useless in 
flight, hanging over and hiding the tail, which is 
composed of short feathers of equal lengths : legs 
