Stephens City star. (Stephens City, Va.) 1881-1883, 1882-12-23
/ THE OSTRICH WALTZ.
An Odd Sight in the Central Park Deer Pad
dG- allow to Pluck an Ostrich

An Odd Sight in the Central Park Deer Pad
dd' allow to Pluck an Ostrich.
Mr.. j. Protheroe, a Young English
man who has in Central Park, New
York, a herd of twentv-three ostriches
recently imported from Buenos Ayres
for breeding in America, went one
morning with his herdsman, an ebon
Cape Towner, named Johnson, and a
reporter, to the deer hut in which the
birds are confined. When johnson
opened the door he was greeted by a
series of sounds suggestive of the noise
made by a fog horn.
"That's what the Dutch natives of
Cape Town call 'bromming,'" said Mr..
Protheroe. at expresses the same
feeling with an ostrich that cooling
does with dove. I'll show you how
we pluck an ostrich. Johnson, bring
the stocking"
The dark herder, whom the birds re-
garded with mild-eyed affection, pro-
duced long, white stocking. He
caught one of the birds by it's neck,
and inserted the head and neck in the
stocking. The blinded bird exhibited
some nervousness.
"This herd have been so long in con-
finement," said Mr.. Protheroe, "that
they are comparatively gentle when the
stocking is pulled over their necks.
They fight and kick vigorously some
times when they have been accustomed
to the liberty of a large farm"
johnson led the bird up to a side of
the hut, against which, with one hand,
he held its neck. He held up a wing
with the other hand, while Mr.. Proth-
eroe held the other wing, and with a
pair of shears clipped off white
feather one inch from the flesh under
the wing. at would not do" contin-
ued Mr.. Protheroe, "to pull these
feathers out. Inflammation might set
in. We pull out the tail feathers and
those on the outside of the wings. One
month after we cut off the large feath-
ers under the wing, new feathers push
out the old quilts"
While Mr.. Protheroe was speaking
the long-necked birds were making
friends with the reporter. One of
them seized his shirt collar, but was
frustrated by johnson in his attempt
to swallow it. Another tried to gulp
down the reporters cane, but finding
stiff neck the result, desisted.
eff you will stand behind me-" said
the young Englishman, 1--WE will open
the door and let the birds out for their
morning airing. They are dangerous
when let at liberty"
johnson pushed back the sliding
door of the hut. "Now," continued
Mr.. Protheroe, you will see something
that you have not had the privilege of
seeing in America before. johnson
gave a low, peculiar whistle, resembling
somewhat the "bromming" of the birds
as he walked out of the door into the
grassy Enclosure. The ungainly bipeds
rushed after him pell-mell. Their
necks were craned out and their
mouths were wide open. They ran
about the inclosure in a break-neck
fashion for several minutes, occasion
ally humping into one another. Then
they began tapping their wings and
waltzing. 1t was veritable waltz,
and is so termed by ostrich farmers.
The birds turn rapidly round and round,
dipping their necks and swaying their
bodies at each turn. A rhythm that
could be set to music pervades their
motions.
at would be unsafe to 90 among
them now, unless, like johnson, you
were familiar with them," said Mr..
Protheroe. Two of the male ostriches
began to fight at this point. They
faced each other with distended
mouths. Tapping wings and glaring
eyes. Then they began a pecking
match, which was followed by some
high kicking. forward, backward and
sidewise. "While they are too tough
to be much hurt by their own kicks,
they have been known to break the
arms and legs of men by them," said
Mr.. Protheroe. The birds are destined
for California. Mr.. Protheroe thinks
his ostrich farming in America will be
successful.