8 
NATURAL HISTORV. 
it, seem to have been more solicitous of proving the affinity 
to that animal, than of describing those peculiarities 
which distinguish it from all others of the feathered 
creation. 
It is chiefly found in Guiana, along the banks of the 
Oroonoko, in the inland provinces of Brazil and Chili, and 
the vast Ibrests that border on the mouth of the river 
Plata. Many other parts of South America were known 
to have them ; but as man multiplied, these large and 
timorous birds either fell beneath their superior power, or 
fled from their vicinity. 
The touyou, though not so large as the ostrich, is only 
second to it in magnitude. It is by much the largest bird 
in the New Continent; and is generally found to be six 
feet high, measuring from its head to the ground. Its 
legs are three feet long ; and its thigh is nearly as thick as 
that of a man. Its body is of an oval form, and appears 
entirely round. It is covered from the back and rump 
with long feathers ; these feathers are grey upon the back, 
and white on the belly, and it has no other tail. It goes 
very swiftly, and seems assisted in its motion by a kind of 
tubercle behind, like a heel, upon which, on plain ground, 
it treads very securely: in its course it uses a very odd 
kind of action, lifting up one wing, which it keeps elevated 
for a time ; till letting it drop, it lifts up the other : it 
runs with such swiftness, that the fleetest dogs are thrown 
out in the pursuit. One of them finding itself surrounded 
by the hunters, darted among the dogs with such fury, 
that they made way to avoid its rage ; and it escaped, by 
its amazing velocity, in safety to the mountains. 
Nuremberg relates, that during incubation, they gene- 
rally make a false nest at some distance from the true 
one ; in this they lay two eggs, which are afterwards 
broken by the old bird, and by attracting a number of 
flies, beetles, &c. afford a means of sustenance to the 
young. 
When first hatched, the young ones are familiar, and 
follow the first person they meet. I have been followed 
myself, says Wafer, by many of these young ostriches ; 
which at first are extremely harmless and simple : but as 
they grow older, they become more cunning and distrust- 
ful ; and run so swift, that a greyhound can scarcely over- 
take them. Their flesh, in general, is good to be eaten ; 
especially if they are young. It would be no difficult 
matter to rear up flocks of these animals tame, particularly 
as they are naturally so familiar : and they might be found 
