Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1900-02-15
SOME wINcLEss BIRDS.
Most Curious of the Lot Is Apteryx, a
Native Of New Zealand.

There exist all grades in the spread
Of wings between that of the condor.
which is four times the length OF the
body, whereby the bird is able TO rise
to the height of nearly 5000 feet, and
the little winglets of the aux. which
are of no use 10 it. The penguins have
still smaller wings. which are nothing
more than short. fiattened stumps.
without proper feathers and covered
with fine. hair-like down. which
might be taken for scales. Another
group of birds exists. called appr0prl-
ately breyipennes. the wings OF which
are so poorly developed as TO be Who'll
" unsuited for flight. Among them are
some gigantic birds. and also some
that have no visible wings on the out
side of their bodies, and may. there
fore, be properly called wingless- The
ostrich Is a member of this group
With its bare, callous head and short
bill, its long, featherless neck and lis
massive body, supported by long. hair
bare legs, ended in two large tees; It's
very short wings, formed OF soft anu
flexible feathers. and its plume-shaped
tail ii presents very special appear
ance among birds. The nandous, the
American representatives of the os-
trich. have still shorter wings, which
have no remigia ut all, AMI terminate
Ia a horny appendage, and they have
no tail feathers.
The cassowary and the emeu alsore
semble the ostrich in many points. but
their wings are still more reduced
than those of the nandou. They are
only slightly distinct. and cannot he
seen when the bird holds them close
up to its body. In the apteryx, the
name of which from the Greek. means
without wings, the organs OF flight are
hardly apparent. and consist simply OF
very short stump bearing thick
and hooked nail. The apteryx, which
is also called kiwi, n native OF New
Zealand, is the most singular Of living
birds. The neck and the body are con-
tinuous, and the moderately sized
head is furnished with n long beak re-
sembling the ibis. Having long
hairs simi'a- to the mustaches of cats
mt its baC it Is different from the
bills of all ether existing birds in pos
sessing nostrils that open at its upper
point. Although the apteryx cannot
fiy. IL runs very fast, despite the short
ness of its legs, and can defend itself
very effectively against assailants by
the aid of its long-nailed and sharp
nailed feet The tail is absent, like
the wings. The very plant feathers
are extremely curious. loose. silky,
with jagged barbs. and Increase in
length as they go back from the neck.
The bird is of the size of fowl, ana
when in its normal position stands
with its body almost vertical and car
ries the suggestion of caricature-re-
sembling. we might say, feathered
sack, with only long-billed head and
claws projecting. and one beholding il
feels that he is looking at some unfin-
ished creature. 1t is n nocturnal bird.
of fierce temper. and has become rare
in consequence of the merciless war.
that is made upon ii. Everything Is
strange about it. even the single egg
it lays, which weighs about Il quarter
rs much as it's body. Together with
the apteryx. there once lived In New
Zealand a bird that reached the height
of nearly twelve feet, the dinornis.-
Appleton's Popular Science Monthly.