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                             T H E
ANATOMICAL DYESCRIPTION
                         OF EIGHT
  -OSTRICHES.
     HeG Eight Ojiriches which we dercribe, were almnof of one fize. There
T were five Males, and three Females ; they were feven Foot and a half
from the top of the head to the ground; from the Back to the Crown of the
Head they were three foot, and as many from the Belly to the ground. The
Body, from the Breaft to the beginning of the Tail, exceeded not three
Foot ; the rail was a Foot long; the Wing, without the Feathers, but
a Foot and a half, being extended, and with the Feathers, three Foot.
  The Plumage was alio in forne meafure alike; for moft of it had black and
white, and flbne Gray Feathers. Scaliger do's upon good Grounds laugh at
Cardan, who was of Opinion, that OJIriches had red, blew, and green Feathers,
not knowing that they are dyed of thefe Colours. The greatelt Plumes pro-
ceeded from the extremities of the Wings and Tail. The great ones were
moft commonly white; and the next row was compofUd only of black.
There were Iome of them fmaller, being white, others black, whiich garni-
fhed the Back and Belly. The Flancks had no Feathers, no more than the
Thighls, and under part of the Wings. The bottom of the Neck was half
way adorned with Feathers, much fimaller than thofe of the Belly and Back;
fomc of which were black, and others white. They were gray in one of the
Males, and in one of the Females.
  All thefe Feathers were of one fort.  This is peculiar to the Of/rich -
for
it has not Feathers offeveral forts, like other Birds, which have fome foft,
ahdil
as it were lanuginous, to firve them for Furr ; others hard and firm, for
flying; fome lanuginous only at their beginning, and firmer toward their
extremity, which is made like a Scale, to the end that being all ranged onc
upon the other, and covering fome with their extremity, which is fir-
mier, the Down which is at the root of the others, they might compot&
as it
were a Vellment, to defend the Birds from the Inconvenierci s of the Wind
                                    D d                       and