THE OSTRICH. 329

young that we have noticed in other birds, and in animals.
The female of a pair in Paris died through swallowing a
three-cornered piece of glass which a glazier had dropped
into their cage, after which the mate pined away and died
in a few weeks. Of their care of their young Captain
Cumming says:

“J fell in with a troop of about twelve young ostriches,
which were not much larger than Guinea-fowls. I was
amused to see the mother endeavour to lead us away, exactly
like a wild duck, spreading out and drooping her wings, and
throwing herself down on the ground before us as if wounded,
while the cock bird cunningly led the brood away in an
opposite direction.” Professor Thunberg once rode past the
place where a hen Ostrich was sitting in her nest; when
the bird sprang up, and pursued him, evidently with a view
to prevent his noticing her eggs or young. Every time he
turned his horse towards her she retreated ten or twelve
paces; but as soon as he rode again she pursued him, till
he had got to a considerable distance from the place where
he had started her.

The Rhea. The Rhea is a beautiful bird of the ostrich
The Cassowary. type belonging to South America. There are

The Emu. several species, known as-the Common Rhea,
the Great-billed Rhea, and Darwin’s Rhea, the latter belong-
ing to Patagonia. A Common Rhea bred some time ago in
the Zoological gardens, when the male bird discharged the
duties of incubation. The Cassowary and the Emu belong
to Australia. The Cassowary resembles the ostrich in form,
but is not so large. It stands about five feet. Like all these
birds it is unable to fly, but is very swift of foot. It can
kick too, with great violence, as dogs have sometimes found
to their cost. The Emu is a very large bird and is said
sometimes to exceed six feet in height.

Mr. Bennett says:—“ The length of its legs and the muscu-
larity of its thighs enable it to run with great swiftness; and as