The Ostrich shows the same affection for its mate, and the same devotion to the care of its 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:
"I 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 is a beautiful bird of the ostrich type belonging to South America. There are several species, known as the Common Rhea, the Great-billed Rhea, and Darwin's Rhea, the latter belonging 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 muscularity of its thighs enable it to run with great swiftness; and as it is exceedingly shy, it is not easily overtaken or brought within gun-shot. Captain Currie states that it affords excellent coursing, equalling if not surpassing the same sport with the hare in England; but Mr. Cunningham says that dogs will seldom attack it, both on account of some peculiar odour in its flesh which they dislike, and because the injuries inflicted upon them by striking out with its feet are frequently very severe. The settlers even assert that the Emu will break the small bone of a man's leg by this sort of kick; to avoid which, well-trained dogs run up abreast, and make a sudden spring at the neck, whereby the bird is quickly dispatched. Its flesh has been compared to coarse beef, which it resembles both in appearance and taste." Mr. Jesse says, "The only instance I have met with in which the hen bird has not the chief care in hatching and bringing up the young, is in the case of the Emus, at the farm belonging to the Zoological Society, near Kingston. A pair of these birds bred five young ones: the female, at different times, dropped nine eggs in various places in the pen in which she was confined. These were collected in one place by the male, who rolled them gently and carefully along with his beak. He then sat upon them himself, and continued to do so with the utmost assiduity, for nine weeks, during which time the female never took his place, nor was he ever observed to leave the nest. When the young were hatched, he alone took charge of them, the female not appearing to notice them in any way. On reading this anecdote, many persons may suppose that the female emu is not possessed of that natural affection for its young which other birds have. In order to rescue it from this supposition, I will mention that a female emu belonging to the Duke of Devonshire at Chiswick, laid some eggs; and as there was no male bird, she collected them together herself, and sat upon them." The Apteryx, the wingless bird of New Zealand, belongs to this order.
