WILD ANIMALS IN CAPTIVITY 
the living representatives of this group or family of 
Struthiones, to the remaining species of Apteryx, and since 
the introduction into New Zealand of cats, dogs, and pigs, 
many of these latter having become wild in the bush, the 
Apteryx, like the Dodo of old, must rapidly disappear. 
We have here an illustration of the value of possessing 
living examples of rare and little-known animals, for with- 
out the opportunity of testing the truth or accuracy of 
the reports of native and other careless observers, many 
fabulous and absurd remarks are introduced to us, and 
for the want of knowledge we are led to believe them. 
In appearance the bird is about the size of a common 
fowl, the body is as round as a Dutch cheese, the bill is 
white, about 3 in. long, the eyes small and black, the 
plumage soft and hairlike, of a pale silvery grey, finely 
barred with darker grey. The legs and toes are white, 
or pale flesh colour, and about the size of those of a 
common fowl. 
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