Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1882-12-01
How to Pluck an Ostrich.

Mr.. j. ProtherOe. the young English
man who has in Central Park herd of
twenty-five ostriches, recently imported
from Buenos Ayres for breeding in
America. went Yesterday morning with
his herdsman. an ebon Cape Towner.
named johnson, and Sun reporter, to
the deer hut in which the birds are con-
fined. When Johnson opened the door
he was greeted by 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. "It expresses the same feel
ING 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 a long. white stocking. He
caught one of the birds by its neck, and
ING. The result irresistibly recalled the
pictures of Bernhardt in Bernhardt
gloges. 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 large farm
johnson led the bird up to side of
the hut. against which with one hand
he held his neck. He held up a wing
with the other hand, while Mr.. Protheroe
held the other wing and with pair of
shears clipped Ola white feather one inch
from the flesh under the wing. ut
would not do" continued Mr.. PrOtheroe,
ito pull these feathers out In!iamma-
ton 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 feathers 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 re-
porter cane, but finding a still neck the
result, desisted.
"If you will stand behind me-" said
the young Englishman, 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 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
enclosure in a break-neck fashion for
several minutes, occasionally humping
into one another. Then they began
tapping their wings and Waiting. 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 m otions.
lit would be unsafe to 90 among
them now. unless. like johnson, you
were familiar with them" said Mr.
Protheroe. Two of the male ostrches
began to fight at this point. They faced
each other with distenctd mouths, flap
ping wings and glaring eyes. Then
they hegan pecking match, which was
followed by some high kicking, for
ward, backward and sidewise. "While
the are too tough to be much hurt bv
their own kicks, they have been known
to break the arms and legs of men by
them," said Mr.. Protheroe. The
birds will be taken to California soon.
Mr. PrOtheroe thinks his ostrich farm
ing in America will lie entirely success
full. ~ y. Sun.