The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-06-27

village they bury all along the road a
great many shells filled with water. In
this way on their return home with
their booty they find at every hating
place drink for themselves and their
stolen herds. while their pursuers are
obliged to turn back and give up the
chase for want of water.
The feathers of the ostrich! Who
does not know of them the world over?
As the elephant is hunted for his tusks,
so is the ostrich for its feathers. The
finest and very expensive are the long
white plumes from the wings, bringing
from one hundred and fifty to two hun
dred dollars pound. 1t takes about
eighty feathers to make pound. The
black and gray are much cheaper, and
the smaller they are the less esteemed.
On the coasts of Africa, in European
settlements, there are regular ostrich
farms where the birds are raised ex-
pressly for their feathers 1t requires
only a low wall to keep them from get
ting out, as they can not fly high, the
largest quill feathers of the wing being
entirely wanting, Though very fine,
the feathers of the domesticated birds
are less beautiful than those of the wild
ones.
You will wonder if the ostrich can
outrun horse: how hunters can ever
catch them. They have to use q great
deal of strategy. Sometimes they hide
in pit near the nest in the absencel of
the old birds, shooting them when they
come back at night, or, which is most
effective, dressing in the skin and feath-
ers. of the bird, their own legs answer
ing very well for those of the ostrich.
They manGuver the neck and head
with one arm, while carrying a bow and
poisoned arrows concealed. Disguised
in this way, the hunters are sometimes
able to get near a large flock and secure
several OF the finest birds before they
are aware of their approach.
Nowadays horses are used in the
hunting of the ostrich, racing with them
for hours until the legs of the birds be-
come so stiff that they can run no far
Their, and are obliged to succumb, run
ming their heads into some bush, sup
posing themselves hidden, the head
with them seeming to be the important
part to get out of the way. As the os-
trch never takes straight course, but
always runs in Il sort of circle, the
horseman has another advantage In
whatever way they are killed it is very
important not to stain the feathers, for
a large ostrich with its plumage in good
condition is worth from eighty to ninety
dollars.
Sometimes the ostrich gets eXasper-
ated and gives battle to the hunter. kick
ing his adversary violently, which kick
is as dangerous as that of a horse,
but afterward inilicting terrible wounds
with strong, sharp claw with which
it is armed. 1t is said that the ostrich
is able to defend itself against the most
ferociouS beasts of the desert, and that
the only foe it really breads IS man.
Thus ID the absence of the wings with
which to fly they have been given a
powerful weapon with which to protect
themselves ON land. What a wonderful
Creator!
The shea is the ostrich of South
America. Though only half the size of
its African. cousin, still it is very
handsome bird and of fair size The
wings are small, but abundantly fur
ntshed with long, flexible, soft feathers
which spread like a snowy sail as it
runs. The sheas are very pretty and
very funny birds. They have very
curious habit of drawing in their necks,
shaking out their long wing feathers,
and salutng each other Us if they We're
overcome with joy, and then dashing
about in 4 headlong trolic, and running
blindly against u fence, or bush, much
TO their discontinue
Tho oogrD,,-a,.,- F,I,I
cas-, belongs to the ostrich family. They
are easily tanned, and soon became very
wUch attached to their owners. They
;Ffe exceedingly mischievous, and. like
all their species, great always
feeling privileged to help themselves.
An English naturalist once owned
pair of these birds which were alto
gether too familiar upon his premises.
He tells of them that no sooner would
his cuffs be starched and hung out on
the line than one of these birds would
step up, and before any one could stop
it swallow them instantly
At another time he had q carpenter
at work about the yard, who came rush
ing into his study in great alarm, eX-
claiming: doctor! oh, doctor! come
quick, one of those birds of yourn has
been, and swallowed my oil stone. It'll
kill the cretur sure if you don't give
him something
'Oh, it's just ike him, Patrick" the
doctor coolly replied, Hell take your
hammer and chisel next look out. "
The carpenter went back to his work,
greatly disturbed, nor would he 90 on
till the bird was placed in confinement;
and then even he could not get over his
solicitude for its welfare, to say moth
ing of the loss of his favorite stone.-
Mrs. q. Hall. IN N y ObSerner.