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 Mar., 1908 NOTES ON TIlE RItEA OR S. OUTH AMERICAN OSTRICH 71 The young bird is quick to grasp the spirit of his wild existence and leaves the nest when scarcely dry. When left alone they feed together in a flock, eagerly running after insects, and picking at everything that looks green and tempting. His free life makes him jealous of his liberty and it is difficult to capture a young bird. Once caught, however, they are easily tamed, and except for their fondness for houseplants and garden truck they would make a handsome fowl about the farm. On the open pampa the rhea is a very shy bird, making off at the first approach of danger. If a choice of direction permits he chooses the wind and runs against it with wings outstretched when greatly alarmed. A horse is no match whatever in speed or endurance on a fresh start, and the native hunter aims to exhaust the bird with dogs, and then approach ciosely enough, if necessary with a final dash to en- snare him with the bolas. The farmers on some of the ranches forbid the molesta- tion of the rheas by the peons or their dogs, and thus afford in season an abundance of fresh eggs close at hand. These birds, accustomed to the sight of man, gave me a chance to photograph thenl at rather close range, but the lack of contrast in their outline and that of their background makes the picture quite unsatisfactory. The rhea hunter of the pampa is a picturesque character and a typical nomad. A few well-seasoned horses and a troupe of half a dozen dogs with long legs and plenty of endurance ' form the chief part of his outfit. A recado or blanket saddle fur- nishes at once a seat and a bed; a small kettle to boil water for his matd or native tea, with its drink- ing outfit is the extent of his culinary equipment, and matches, tobacco, a knife and the bolas com- plete the outfit. He lives on roast ed meat and mat. The hunter follows the game over the open pampa or along the water sheds NESX OF Rhea darwim xt,'IIlt 42 EGGS tributary to the lakes or rivers and unless it takes to the water it is almost invariably captured due to the relentless pursuit, since time plays no part. The rhea is a strong swimmer and has been seen to voluntarily cross a river for the sake of better feeding grounds. The task is evidently not greatly distasteful to him. The method of cooking the rhea and its eggs invented by the indians is ingen- ious and effective; the idea of simplicity has been generally adopted by the peons, in Argentina at least, to the cooking of meats in general. The flesh on the carcass of the rhea is tender and delicious while the leg meat is as tough as sole leather, and is not eaten unless food is scarce. The indians after removing the viscera thru a small opening in the abdomen fill the cavity with hot stones about the size of tennis balls and leave the bird to roast with the skin on. The eggs when not eaten raw are prepared by roasting in the hot ashes, after breaking the shell at one end so the contents may have room to expand and be stirred. Piles of the smooth stones used in the cooking process are found about the old camping grounds on the pampa and testify to the antiquity of the custom. The skins of the rhea are frequently used by the indians for bed mats, and they have devised a tobacco pouch out of the neck skin which they peel from the shoulders toward the head without making a longitudinal opening. By stretching and drying this and putting in a few stitches in the bottom they have a very serviceable pouch. Topeka, t-ansa$.