562 
FLIGHTLESS BIRDS. 
bodies. In regard to the breeding-habits of the rheas, Darwin writes that “ when 
we were at Bahia Blanca in the months of September and October, the eggs, in 
extraordinary numbers, were found all over the country. They lie either scattered 
and single, in which case they are never hatched, and are called by the Spaniards 
huachos ; or they are collected together into a shallow excavation, which forms the 
nest. Out of the four nests which I saw, three contained twenty-two eggs each, 
and the fourth twenty-seven. In one day’s hunting on horseback sixty-four eggs 
were found; forty-four of these were in two nests, and the remaining twenty 
scattered huachos. The Gauchos unanimously affirm, and there is no reason to 
doubt their statement, that the male bird alone hatches the eggs, and for some time 
afterwards accompanies the young. The cock when on the nest lies very close; 
I have myself almost ridden over one. It is asserted that at such times they are 
occasionally tierce, and even dangerous, and that they have been known to attack 
a man on horseback, trying to kick and leap on him.” The truth of the statement 
that the cock undertakes the whole work of incubation has been demonstrated not 
only by observations made upon wild birds, but on captive specimens, which in 
England have bred freely. In the common rhea the period of incubation lasts 
from thirty to thirty-one days; and while in the south the usual number of eggs 
in a nest is from fifteen to twenty, in the north as many as thirty-two have been 
observed. 
The rhea, like the guanaco, is hunted with the bolas, one method 
being for a number of mounted men armed with these implements to 
enclose, with the aid of the female portion of the tribe, a considerable tract of 
country, and thus slaughter all the game contained within the circle; while the 
second, and more sporting plan, is for a single horseman to pursue the bird. In 
the latter case a horse of great endurance, and endowed with a fair turn of speed, 
is absolutely essential; while it is further requisite that it should have learnt to 
follow all the twistings and doublings of the birds. The supreme skill and judg¬ 
ment in casting the bolas at the right moment, and with the requisite strength and 
accuracy of aim, necessary to ensure bringing the game to bay, can in general be 
acquired only by those who have been accustomed to the use of the weapon from 
their childhood. The rheas have been hunted with the bolas for about two 
centuries, during which period they have learnt to start off at speed on catch¬ 
ing sight of a mounted man; but till some five-and-twenty years ago, up to which 
date they were never shot, they displayed supreme disregard for a person on foot. 
Hunting-. 
The Cassowaries and Emeus. 
Family Casuaeiitjej. 
Two important features serve at once to distinguish the cassowaries and their 
near allies the emeus from the ostriches and rheas; the first of these being that the 
feathers have after-shafts of such large size as to make them practically double; 
while the second peculiarity is to be found in the eggs, which, instead of being 
light-coloured and smooth, are dark green in colour and granulated in texture. 
From the observations of Mr. W. Bennett on domestic emeus, it further appears 
