Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-10-31
osTRICHEs IN FLORIDA.
An Attempt to Raise the Giant Birds
for their Feathers in This Country.
Ve,r Yorl CuU

Neic YORK Sun.
few davs ago Mr.. Charlton Jones, of
Sylvan Lake, Florida, left this city with
three pairs Of fine ostriches, which he re-
Gently received from Nubia. Mr.. Jones
intends to raise Ostriches for their
feathers. Although the climate of Florida
is not quite like that NOf Nubia, yet he
thinks it is very probable that the giant
birds will thrive and multiply in their
new dwelling place. In different places
in North and South Africa there are many
ostrich farms, where the birds are raised
especially for their feathers. The feathers
are usually cut off only once year, but
ostriches which receive special care yield
annually two and even three crops of
feathers, When it is considered that Os-
triches live from forty to fifty years, and
that yearling birds yield marketable
feathers, it is clear that an ostrich farm
ought to be profitable. The artificial
breeding of Ostriches is perhaps the best
paving branch of aviculture. About three
years ago chicks just out of the egg were
sold at $50 to $25 apiece; at | month of
age they brought $50 to $50; at months,
500 to 800; at year, 500 to $3.50, and at
wears about $3.50. A pair of ostriches Of
full age-that is, ) years Old-then COM
manded $500 to $3.50. But now, as the
number of ostrich farms has been greatly
increased, pair of good Ostriches can be
bought at $500,
The Ostriches yielding the best feathers
are found in North Africa, but their num-
her is rather insignificant. Since 1862 the
ostrich farms have great multiplied in
Cape Colony, Natal, and the Transvaal,
countries lying at the same distance from
the equator as Florida. During the last
twenty years the number of domestic
Ostriches in those countries has increased
ND to 100 ZOO, and their yield OF feathers
amounts TO about 4,j00,00 worth. Egypt
raises only about $l,0OO,00O worth of
feathers. and Algeria, Tunis and TripOli
altogether hardly 100000 worth. True,
the ostrich feathers raised in the latter
countries are superior TO those raised in
South Africa. but the difference IS not
very great. and the feathers OF Cape
Colony are often sold for those of Egypt.
The Matching of ostrich chicks takes
fortv-two days. The eggs are about six
inches long and five inches wide, and are
canal i'm bulk to twenty-fOur hen eggs.
The ostrich chick in a few days reaches
the size of an ordinary hen. 1t is covered
with light brown down, through which,
on the back and wings, project black
needles like those of the hedge hog. The
chick of one month is of the size of a
turkey. and its down has begun to change
into minute feathers. The body of an
ostrich half a wear old is about the size of
that of an average man. Its feathers reach
a GOOD size, but they are not cast off before
it becomes yearllng.
Young Ostriches are usually kept sep
arate from the grown up ones. They feed
upon grass, corn and leaves. Ihey are
kent i'm small fiOcks of from twelve TO fif-
teen birds in a place surrounded by a
ditch or a fence of creeping plants. How
ever insecure the fence may be, the Os-
triches never attempt to pass 1t. 1t often
hanpens that domestic Ostriches attack
men. and particularly strangers, although
in the wild state they usually shun man.
When attacking man an ostrich strives
to strike him with its feet. Such blows
are very dangerous. Ihere nave been
cases in which the spine of horse has
been broken by them. IL a man has no
arms to defend himself, and no way of
escape. the best thing for him to do is to
throw himself on the ground, for then the
ostrich cannot strike him hard blow.
When enraged, however, the ostrich does
not leave its victim, but watches him I'M
til he rises, and then furiously reneWs the
attack. Under such circumstances a
man has only one means OF escape,
namely, creeping to some place OF safety
such as a tree, a river, or ditch.
The fights among male Ostrlches are
very savage and bloody. The males
bravely defend their nests, and they sit
on the eggs from 5 p. m. TO a. M, when
the females take the post and remain on
the nest until p. IN. While on the nest
the ostrich lays its neck on the ground,
SO that an inexperienced person might
mistake it for heap of earth. On leav
inc the nest even domestic ostriches make
several jumps and curious motions cal
culated to mislead their enemies. In case
of danger Ostriches try to hide themselves
in bushes or behind stones. Wild cats,
hyenas, iackals, wolves and tigers are the
enemies of Ostriches in their native land.
The tricks to which these beasts resort in
order to break the ostrich eggs are we'll
known. Ostrich farmers usual bait the
beast with poisoned meat to save their
fiOcks.
Florida abounds in alligators, which
are near cousins of the crocodile of the
Nile. Why then may not ostriches thrive
in Florida?