[page] 35

Mr. Gould brought before the notice of the meeting, from the collection of Mr. Darwin, a new species of Rhea from Patagonia, and after offering some observations upon the distribution of the Struthionidœ, and upon the great interest attending this addition to that family, he remarked that the new species is distinguished from Rhea Americana of authors, in being one-fifth less in size, in having the bill shorter than the head, and the tarsi reticulated in front instead of scutellated, and in being plumed below the knee for several inches. It has also a more densely plumed wing, the feathers of which are broader, and all terminated by a band of white.

Mr. Gould, in conclusion, adverted to the important accessions to science resulting from the exertions of Mr. Darwin, and to his liberality in presenting the Society with his valuable Zoological Collection; to commemorate which he proposed to designate this interesting species by the name of Rhea Darwinii.