166 TOPULAR OFFICIAL GUIDE. 



ial birds, and live longer than either ostriches, rheas or 

 emeus. They are essentially birds of the thick forests rather 

 than open plains, and can not bear the glaring light and heat 

 of midsummer that is the delight of an ostrich. In captivity 

 they are very apt to be quarrelsome toward each other. 



Miscellaneous Birds in the Ostrich House. — At present 

 these are so numerous and so important it is necessary to 

 mention a few of them, even though the labels may be sup- 

 posed to speak for them. They fall into several groups, — 

 chiefly birds of prey and cranes. 



One of the most remarkable creatures in the entire collec- 

 tion is the Secretary Bird, (Serpentarius serpentarius). It is 

 well known as a snake killer, its attacks being made with 

 the feet alone, and never with the beak. Its long legs are re- 

 markably powerful, and capable of dealing a crushing blow, 

 always aimed at the head of the victim. Although it does 

 not resemble the hawks and eagles in general appearance, 

 it is in reality one of this group, and might well be described 

 as a "hawk on stilts." The snakes, frogs, small animals 

 and birds which form its diet are generally swallowed en- 

 tire. The long cockades of black feathers falling back- 

 wards at each side of the head are said to have suggested 

 the name Secretary Bird, from a fancied resemblance to a 

 quill stuck behind the ear of a clerk. 



The Brush Turkey, or Telegalla, (Catheturus lathami), is a 

 bird of the dark tropical forests of New Guinea and Aus- 

 tralia. For many years it has been regarded as a zoological 

 wonder, because of the remarkable manner in which it nests 

 and produces its young. Instead of building a small, hol- 

 low nest, and hatching its eggs by the heat of its own body, 

 it pursues the plan of the crocodile ! Choosing an open spot 

 in the forest it builds a huge mound, and as the structure 

 rises, it lays its eggs in the heart of it. Turning its tail to 

 the mound-site, this absurd little bird — no larger than a 

 barnyard hen — scratches about right and left, gathers a big 

 footful of small dead sticks, grass and dirt, and fiercely 

 flings it backward upon the pile. A Brush Turkey in good 

 working order can fling a bunch of jungle debris fully ten 

 feet. Usually the finished mound is about three feet high 

 by ten feet in diameter on the ground, and contains two or 

 three cart-loads of sticks, leaves aud grass. The eggs are 

 deposited in a circle, well separated from each other, and 

 each newly hatched bird must scratch out or die. Of course, 



