352 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



September, 1908 



A French Rhea and 

 Cassowary Farm 



HtSJiiSiiiJt. 



Geoff 

 Saint-Hilaire advised 

 the introduction into 

 Europe of the casso- 

 wary of New Zealand 

 and the rhea, or 

 "American ostrich," 

 of South America, 

 asserting that these 

 birds could probably 

 be acclimated without 

 difficulty, as their 

 natural habitats differ 

 little in climate from 

 Europe. The opinion 



of the great naturalist has been fully confirmed by the results 

 of experiments made in recent years. Rheas are now do- 

 mesticated and bred not only in the zoological gardens of 

 Germany, England, France, Belgium and Holland, but also 

 in private establishments. They are raised extensively and 

 very successfully in nine departments of France. Both rheas 

 and cassowaries pass the winter without injury in the open 

 air or in primitive shelters, like those shown in the accom- 

 panying photographs. 



The South American rhea (Rhea Americana), the only 

 species regularly bred in France, is distinguished from its 

 near relative, the ostrich, by a shorter beak, a more slender 

 foot with three toes, instead of the two of the ostrich, a head 

 and neck less denuded of plumage, and wings of less rudi- 

 mentary character, though still useless for flight. The plum- 

 age of the adult rhea, also, is less striking in coloring than 

 that of the ostrich, tan, brown and gray shades replacing 

 pure white and black. The general appearance is similar to 

 that of the emu. 



On the farm at Melun, where the accompanying photo- 

 graphs were taken, the rheas are kept in inclosures about 

 twenty yards square surrounded by wire netting about four 

 feet in height. It would be better, however, to put them in 

 large meadows, where they could run, if necessary, with 

 sheep, cows or horses, to which they soon become accustomed. 

 In this way they could be kept more cheaply and advan- 

 tageously, for they do not, like geese, pull up grass by the 

 roots, and they feed largely on weeds disdained by the ani- 

 mals, and also destroy many noxious insects. A daily meal 

 of bran and chopped potatoes, beets or carrots is given in 

 addition to green fodder. 



The rhea attains its maturity at the age of three years. It 



A Rhea Pen at Melun 



then measures about 

 fifty-two inches 

 from the tip of the 

 bill to the ends of 

 the downy rump 

 feathers which take 

 the place of a tail. 

 The head is dark 

 brown. The color 

 of the neck is ash 

 gray, becoming 

 darker at the base 

 and almost black be- 

 tween the shoulders, 

 and the face and 

 ears are flesh col- 

 ored. The back and 

 wings are slate colored, and the breast shades from dirty 

 white at the throat to a blackish hue in the lower part. The 

 legs are bare and covered with large gray scales in front. 

 The nearly white abdomen of the male is conspicuously 

 marked with two black crescents. 



In France the rhea begins to lay in March or April. The 

 male bird digs a shallow pit in the earth, under a tree if pos- 

 sible, and lines it roughly with twigs, moss, leaves and a few 

 feathers. The rhea is polygamous, and one male will 

 suffice for from three to seven females. As soon as three or 

 four eggs have been laid the male begins to sit, and as addi- 

 tional eggs are laid beside him by the female he gathers them 

 under him with his bill, head and neck. He will cover as 

 many as twenty eggs at once if he is permitted to do so, but 

 in order to avoid irregularity in hatching, the first dozen 

 eggs are marked and the others removed as soon as they 

 are found in the nest. When a dozen eggs have thus been 

 removed they are marked differently from the first dozen and 

 put in place of the latter under the male, and again the newly 

 laid eggs are removed every few days. In this way the eggs 

 are hatched in batches of a dozen. Each female lays from 

 twenty-five to fifty eggs a year, half in March and April, and 

 half in July and August. The male alone broods, fasting and 

 remaining on the nest during the period of incubation, which 

 extends from thirty-four to forty days. Artificial incubation 

 has been attempted at the Melun establishment, but great care 

 is required in order to raise the young birds hatched in 

 this way. 



The young rheas grow rapidly, and are little affected by 

 the variable French climate. Their favorite food consists of 

 hard boiled eggs, bread, bran and chopped green fodder. 

 The male bird is an admirable nurse unless his attention is 



