454 Vertebrata. 



Rhea) ; there is no down between the feathers ; remiges and retrices 

 generally differ but little from the other feathers. There are no 

 uropygial glands. 



The RatitsB are placed directly after Archseopteryx and the Odontomithes 

 because, in several I'espects, they show more primitive characters than other 

 living forms. For instance, the palatines do not touch the lower wall of the skull, 

 but lie a Uttle distance from the middle Une, as in Lizards ; a character which 

 they have in common only with a small isolated group of the Rasores * (in 

 Archaeopteryx and the Odontomithes this portion is not preserved) ; the bones of 

 the skull remain separate longer than in Carinates, as do also the cervical ribs and 

 tarsal bones ; the ischium does not fuse with the ilium (as in Odontomithes) or 

 only quite posteriorly ; the second digit of the fore hmb possesses a fairly well- 

 developed claw. In various other points, however, they are considerably special- 

 ised ; the condition of the wings is clearly secondary (i.e., the Ratitse are 

 descended from flying birds) ; the absence of the keel is a consequence of the loss 

 of the power of flight and the degeneration of the pectoral muscles ; so with the 

 feathers, etc. 



Most of the Ratites are of very considerable size ; they are true 

 prairie animals inhabiting the warmer portions of the Southern 

 Hemisphere. They prefer a vegetable diet, but also eat small animals. 

 The males undertake the whole or most of the brooding. The young 

 ones are covered with down and are able to run about directly they 

 are hatched. 



1. Ostriches (Struthionidx). Beak short and broad, feathers without 

 aftershaft; wings relatively well developed, with poUex and large feathers; 

 smaUer or larger feathers on the tail. Belonging to this family are : the 

 American Ostrich or Nandu (Rhea) with three toes ; in South America : 

 the African Ostrich {Struthio Camelus) with only two toes (3 and 4) 

 of which the inner bears a large claw, whilst the outer has no claw or only 

 a small one ; wings with very large, and tail also -with fah-sized, feathers ; in 

 Africa and West Asia. 



2. Cassowaries (Dromxidx). Beak short, main-shaft and aftershaft 

 of equal size : wings very feeble, poUex absent, tail scarcely distinguishable ; 

 three toes. The Cassowary (Casuarius) with a bony ridge covered with 

 horn on the top of the head ; a compressed beak ; and on each wing five long 

 strong feathers without barbs : inhabiting New Guinea, the Moluccas, and the 

 north of AustraUa. The Emeu (Dromseus) with flat beak ; without crest and 

 without naked feather shafts, occurring in Australia. To the same famhy belong 

 the extinct Moas, some of which had a hind toe. They floiudshed in New 

 Zealand several centuries ago, and some of them were of gigantic size [Dinornis 

 and others). 



3. Kiwis [Apteryx) are small, short-legged, and shoi-t-necked birds, (about 

 the size of a fowl) with long thin beak, on which the nares He close to the tip ; 

 feathers without after- shafts ; wings quite rudimentary ; hind Umbs with a small 

 hind toe. Their food consists essentially of Barthwoi-ms ; in places where 

 they hve, the earth is riddled with borings made with the beak. They are 

 nocturnal animals and brood in holes in the earth, which they dig out them- 

 selves ; New Zealand. 



* Namely, the Tinamous (Crypturidie) , a division of Easores distinguished by 

 a long beak ; very short rectrices, if any (so that they appear short tailed or tailless) ; 

 and a very small hind toe, if present at all. They inhabit South America. 



