. Cassell's book of birds . AN OSTRICH HUNT. back, sides of the breast, and wings brownish grey; the other portions of the under side are dirtywhite. The eyes are pearl-grey, the bare parts of the face flesh-colour; the beak is greyish brown,and the foot grey. The female is distinguishable by the paler tints of her neck and breast. An oldfemale measured by the Piince von AVied was fifty-two inches and two-thirds in length, and sevenfeet across the span of the wings. SHORT-WINGED CURSORIAL BIRDS. 293. 294 CASSELLS BOOK OF BIRDS. The American Ostrich rarges south as far as forty-two or forty-thr
. Cassell's book of birds . AN OSTRICH HUNT. back, sides of the breast, and wings brownish grey; the other portions of the under side are dirtywhite. The eyes are pearl-grey, the bare parts of the face flesh-colour; the beak is greyish brown,and the foot grey. The female is distinguishable by the paler tints of her neck and breast. An oldfemale measured by the Piince von AVied was fifty-two inches and two-thirds in length, and sevenfeet across the span of the wings. SHORT-WINGED CURSORIAL BIRDS. 293. 294 CASSELLS BOOK OF BIRDS. The American Ostrich rarges south as far as forty-two or forty-three degrees ; it is abundant onthe plains of La Plata, and, according to Azara, is found in Paraguay. Mr. Darwin saw it within thefirst range of mountains on the Uspalluta Plain, at an elevation of six or seven thousand feet abovethe sea; but it does not cross the Cordilleras. At Bahia Blanca the latter observer repeatedly sawthree or four come down at low water to the extensive mud-banks, which are then dry, for the sake, as ■the Gauchos say, of catching small fish. Although this Ostrich is in its habits so shy, wary, andsolitar), and although so fleet in its pace, it falls a prey without much difficulty to the Indian orGaucho, armed wilh the bolas. When several horsemen appear in a circle it becomes confounded,and does not know which way to escape; it prefers running against the wind, yet at the first start itexpands its wings like a vessel that makes all sail. On one fine hot day Mr. Darw
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Keywords: ., bookauthorbreh, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, booksubjectbirds
