Bulletin - United States National Museum - si-pddr - Smithsonian ...

24 BULLETIN 133, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM
deep boom from a depression bordering a stream, and soon after
saw a rhea running away through the acacias. The sound is decep-
tive, as it frequently seemed to come from a great distance when, as
in the present instance, the bird was quite near. In fact the rhea
sounds nearly as loud when far distant as when close at hand.
Though the birds frequented the open camps, they followed narrow
trails through bands of forest leading from one open tract to another.
When not alarmed they Avalked slowly along, feeding from
the ground. When approached they took sudden alarm and ran
away with long strides, often with spread wings, covering the
ground rapidly.
Rheas were to be stalked only with great care. In hunting them
the Tobas cut small, leafy limbs from shrubs that did not wither
quickly, and tied these on their bodies until they resembled bushes.
In this disguise, one by the way that was most effective, they worked
slowly down on the unsuspecting birds, advancing when the rheas
were feeding with heads down, and remaining motionless when the
rheas raised their heads to observe the country. Advance was
made until within a few meters when the birds were killed with
bow and arrow, or by a discharge from a single-barreled shotgun
loaded with slugs. The Tobas and Pilagas in Formosa claimed
that these birds possessed a keen sense of smell and were always
careful to hunt them up wind. Whether there is truth in the assertion
is uncertain, but it may be remarked that many Indians were
readily detected even where the olfactory sense in the observer was
only moderately developed.
On September 23, at Kilometer 110, I purchased two young rheas
only 3 or 4 days old, for a yard of light-weight canvas from
Capita-i, an Anguete. These young had a mournful little whistle,
repeated constantly, that carried for some distance. They were in-
teresting little birds, erect in carriage, with a preternaturally old
appearance that was betrayed at once by their stumbling over slight
obstacles as they walked or ran. In resting they frequently leaned
against some object instead of lying prone, as do the young of many
other long-legged birds.
One young rhea from this same brood was kept alive. It proved
to be tame and unsuspicious, and, in fact, sought human company.
At freedom in the patio at the ranch house it responded readily to
an imitation of its note, and spent many hours reclining against my
feet and ankles as I worked on notes and specimens. It was especially
prone to do this toward evening when it became tired, and
apparently in its eyes long-legged humans filled the place normally
occupied by a long-legged father rhea. Young birds were common
in a domestic state in many of the regions visited. When small
they form odd and amusing pets, fearless and friendly in every way
;