THE RHEA 
There are some white Rheas, but the general 
colour is a greyish-bufF, which is hard to distinguish 
among the dry, parched grasses of the Pampas. 
Sometimes these poor creatures are hunted by 
dogs and men on horseback. If a breeze is blowing 
the Rhea will raise one wing, which acts as a sail, 
and then he goes along at such a speed that no dog 
or horse can catch up with him until he is tired. 
He never flies ; he can only run. 
The Rhea is hunted for the sake of his plumage, 
and it is said that as many as four hundred thousand 
have been killed in one year. If nothing is done to 
stop this destruction it is supposed that, before very 
long, there will not be a single Rhea left in that 
country. 
The cock-bird, when he is looking after a 
brood of young, is very warlike. Once an old 
Rhea had the courage to attack the engine of a train. 
He rushed up and kicked with all his might, but the 
train passed on, and there was a sudden end to the 
brave but quarrelsome father. 
The young birds have a curious habit of 
‘‘ waltzing.” Some dozen or more of them will run 
about a hundred yards, then stop, and raising their 
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