Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1881-05-25
Habits of the Ostrich.

There has long existed belief that the
ostrich. contrary to the character of all
lther birds, Is careless of her young, ne
giects them, and is even cruel to them.
1t also prevailed at least a thousand years
after the book of Job was written. See
Lam. iv. 3: Even the sea monsters draw
out the breast; they give suck to their young
ones: the daughter of my people is become
cruel, like the o-trich in the wilderness
1t is probable that this idea respecting
the cruelty of the ostrich towards its young
is derived from the fact that if flock of
ostriches be chased, and among them be
some very young birds, the latter are left
behind by their parents, and fall prey to
the hunters. But in reality the ostrich has
no choice in the matter. The wide sandy
desert affords no place of concealment in
which it might hide its young. Nature has
not furnished if with weapons by means of
which it can tight for them; and conse-
gnently it is forced to use the only means
of escape by which 1t can avoid sscri-
ticing its own life, as well as the lives of
the young.
1t does not, however, leave the young
until it has tried ali means in its power to
save them. For example, it sometimes
has resource to the maneuvre with which
we are so familiar in the case of the lap
wing. and pretends to be wounded or
lamed, IN order to draw the attention of its
pursuers, while its young escape in another
direction. An instance of this practice IS
given by Mr.. Anderson in his Lake NgaDli:
'sWhen we had proceeded little more
than half the distance, and in part of the
plain entirely destitute of vegetation, We
discovered a male and female ostrich, with
brood of young ones, about the size of
ordinary barn-yard fowls. We forthwith
dismounted from our oxen, and gave chase
which proved of no ordinary interest.
The moment the parent birds became
aware of our intention, they set of at full
speed-the female leading the way, and
the cock. though at some little distance,
bringing up the rear of the family party.
1t was very touching to observe the anxiety
the birds evinced for the safety of their
progeny. Finding that they were quickly
gaming upon them, the male at once slack
ened his pace and diverted somewhat from
his course; but, seeing that we were not
to be diverted from our purpose, he again
increased his speed, and, with wings droop-
ing. so as to almost touch the ground he
hovered round US, now IN wide circles, and
then increasing the circumference until he
abruptly threw himself on the ground, and
struggled desperately to regain his legs, as
1t appeared, like bird that has been badly
wounded.
Having previously tired at him, l really
though he was disabled. and made quickly
toward him. But this was only ruse on
his part, for on my nearer approach, he
slowly rose and began to run In different
direction to that of the female, who, by
this time, was considerably ahead OF her
charge"
Nor is this solitary instance OF the care
which the ostrich will take of her young.
Thunberg mentions that on one occasion,
when be happened to ride near place
where an ostrich was sitting on the eggs,
the bird jumped up and pursued him, evi-
IDENTIFY with the object of distracting his
attention from the eggs. When he faced
Der. she retreated; but as soon as he turned
his horse, she pursued him afresh.