THE ENGLISH SPAR BOW 



591 



The order of runners (Cursores) includes the African ostrich, 

 the American ostriches, or rheas, the cassowaries of the East 

 IntUes, and certain wingless birds of New Zealand (Apterj^x '). 



Fig. 358. — Aptcnjx australis, with egg. From a specimen in the Royal 

 College of Surgeons, London. From Parker and Haswell, "Text-book of 

 Zoolog;^^" 



These are regarded as the most lowly developed of the birds ; 

 the vanes of their feathers are not united, but separate to form 

 a sort of hair-like covering to the body. The African ostrich 

 is the largest living bird. It wanders in families or flocks in 

 the deserts of Africa, and feeds on grass, grain, and small 



1 Fig. 358. 



