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Vintage-Views Antique Prints and Maps :: Antique Prints :: Natural History :: Ornithology :: RATITE GROUP OF BIRDS,Cassowaries,Emu,Rhea,Ostrich,1894 Original Antique Wood Engraving

RATITE GROUP OF BIRDS,Cassowaries,Emu,Rhea,Ostrich,1894 Original Antique Wood Engraving

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Cassowaries (genus Casuarius) are very large flightless birds native to the tropical forests of New Guinea and northeastern Australia. Some nearby islands also have small cassowary populations, but it is not known if these are natural or the result of the New Guinea trade in young birds. They are frugivorous; fallen fruit and fruit on low branches is the mainstay of their diet. They also eat fungi, snails, insects, frogs, snakes and other small animals. Recently, they have also been spotted to attack humans, though this usually only occurs in self-defense when humans intrude upon the birds' territory or cause them to feel threatened. Cassowaries (from the Indonesian name kasuari) are part of the ratite group, which also includes the emu, rhea, ostrich, moa, and kiwi. The Emu, Dromaius novaehollandiae, is the largest bird native to Australia and the only extant member of the genus Dromaius. It is also the second-largest bird in the world by height, after its ratite relative, the ostrich. The soft-feathered, brown, flightless birds reach up to 2 m (6 ft 6 in) in height. The Emu is common over most of mainland Australia, although it avoids heavily populated areas, dense forest and arid areas. Emus can travel great distances at a fast, economical trot and, if necessary, can sprint at 50 km/h (31 mph) for some distance at a time.They are opportunistically nomadic and may travel long distances to find food; they feed on a variety of plants and insects. The Emu subspecies that previously inhabited Tasmania became extinct following the European settlement of Australia in 1788; the distribution of the mainland subspecies has also been affected by human activities. The Emu was once common on the east coast, but is now uncommon there; by contrast, the development of agriculture and the provision of water for stock in the interior of the continent have increased the range of the Emu in arid regions. Emus are farmed for their meat, oil and leather. The ostrich (Struthio camelus) is a flightless bird native to Africa. It is the only living species of its family, Struthionidae, and its genus, Struthio. They are distinct in their appearance, with a long neck and legs and the ability to run at speeds of about 65 km/h (40 mph). Ostriches are the largest living species of bird and are farmed all over the world. The scientific name for the ostrich is from the Greek for "sparrow camel." The Rhea, also known as ñandú in Spanish, or ema in Portuguese, is a large flightless bird native to South America. The name was given in 1752 by Paul Mohring; his reason for choosing this name, from the Rhea of classical mythology, is not known.Rheas are polygamous, with males courting between two and twelve females. After mating, the male builds a nest, in which each female lays her eggs. The male incubates from ten to sixty eggs; the chicks hatch within 36 hours of each other. The females, meanwhile, may move on and mate with other males. While caring for the young, the males will charge at anyone — including humans and female rheas — who approaches the chicks. Rheas are omnivorous, preferring broad-leafed plants, but also eating seeds, roots, fruit, insects, and small vertebrates.

Published for Joseph Meyer Meyers Konversations

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SKU	0527806k6
Quantity in stock	1 item(s) available
Price:	US$15.00

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