The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-12-17
Facts about the Ostrich.

Perhaps YOU think one of that size must
be clumsy but he is very far from that
He can run ever so much faster than
horse, twelve or fourteen feet at leap.
No doubt you have seen that foolish
story about him, when he is pursued by
men he sticks his head in the sand and
thinks he is hidden. That is base SLAM
der. He is not so stupid as that. On the
contrary, he is very cunning. He has
no need of strategy himself to get away
from a man. for his long legs-as | said
carry him off faster than the fastest
horse. But when he has a young family
to protect, it is different The whole
family 90 out together-father, mother,
and all the little ones-lots of them there
are, too.
Unfortunately for the. ostrich, nature
has adorned his wings and tail with ex-
quisite feathers, which you girls delight
to put on your hats, and so men go out
to hunt the poor creatures. They are
very shy and hard to get at, but If the
hunter does manage to get near enough
to shoot, no sooner does Papa Ostrich get
sight of him than he sends mamma and
the children off at full speed, while he
runs the other way, and rolls on the
ground as though he was hurt.
Of course the hunter runs toward him,
thinking he can easily catch him, and he
is the most desirable any way, for the
little ones have not the valuable feathers.
After the family have got a good start
and before the hunter gets too near, the
cunning bird springs suddenly to his feet,
and fairly Skins over the ground.
Another way of hunting them, prac7
tsed by the natives, is very funny; One
of them puts an ostrich skin on sort Of
cushion which he takes on his shoulders.
Through the long neck of the bird he
thrusts timber stick, holding one end in
his hand, his black legs he whitens, and
thus dressed he walks out toward the
birds, pretending to eat, and shaking him
self out, as much after the fashionof an os-
trich as an African can.
At first they stare and are little shy
of him, but finally make up their minds,
I suppose, that he is only an unusually
awkward bird, and 50 they pay no more
attention. to him Pretty soon one Of
them falls dead, shot bv a poisoned ar
row. That frightens the rest. andgawag
they go, the sham bird amos
every few minutes, S. ~
up, another one falls dead,
he kills eight or ten.
A singular thing about these birds, Is
the way they bring up their babies To
begin with, there are a good many eggs
in the nest, and they are the eggs of as
many different mothers (Mr. Darwin
saysl. The ostrich does not lay an egg.
every day, as the hen does they are so
far apart they would not hatch out to-
gether. So-as l said-when bird pre-
pares a nest, all her friends contribute an
egg apiece, and suppose she returns the
favor in due time.
Then the feeding is another odd thing.
You know our birds leave the little ones
in the nest, and both father and mother
90 off to hunt worms and other food for
them. But no such way will do for,baby
ostriches. Both parents stay at home to
protect them, and other ostriches-nurses,
1 suppose they ought to be called-come
and lay eggs for the babies. When they
need lunch, one of the eggs is broken,
and they are fed.
Ostrich eggs are much nicer than hens
eggs. and one of them weighs three pounds,
and is equal to about two dozen of the
hens.
They are very convenient for the hunt
er to find in the desert, for they not only
furnish delicious meal, but the dish to
cook it in. He Just sets the egg on the
fire, breaks hole in the top, and put in
stick to stir it, and when done, he eats
it out of the same dish.
The natives use the shells instead Of
cups and pals, to bring water. A native
woman takes bag full of shells which
have only one hole in them, carrying it
off on her back, and returning IN the
same way with the shells full.
Of late years people have taken to
raising ostriches, as we raise chickens
They collect the eggs from the nest, hatch
them in ovens, and bring up the young
birds by hand. Of course they are per
fectly tame, and are kept in large yards,
with only a common fence around. Eth
er because they have no wild mother to
teach them, or because they are content
ed where they are, they never try to
cross the fence When grown they are
worth one or two hundred dollars each.
There must be something about slavery
uncongenial to development, for the do
nestle ostrich feathers are never so fine
as those that grow on their wild brethren.
The ostrich eats grain, roots, and grass,
and has fancy for stones, bits of brick,
nails and such things This isn't so