Western appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1885-18??, 1885-07-04

taxing thelr ostrich shells and couple
OF long, hollow reeds to the sandy
marshes where water is sometimes
found, they thrust them down into.
the wet sand with a bunch of grass at
the end, used as filter, by letting the
Water pass through it. Then the
water is drawn through one tube by
| the mouth, and then through the other
INTO shell set upright in the ground.
Illus each person is supplied with water
in this primitive way.
The ''Bushmen,n those fierce little
wild men of South Africa, make
strange use of these ostrich shell bottles.
II ABOUT to surprise an enemy's 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 lind at every hating place
drink Tor themselves and their stolen
nerds, 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 hundred dollars pound. 1t takes
about eighty feathers to make pound.
The black and gray are the less
esteemed,
On the coasts of Africa, in European
settlements, there are regular ostrich
farms where the birds are raised cx-
pressly for their feathers. 1t requires
only low wall to keep them from get
Ilng OUT, as they cannot 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
out-run q horse, how hunters can ever
catch them. They have to use a great
deal OF strategy. Sometimes they hide
IN pit near the nest in the absence of
the old birds, shooting them when they
come back at night, or, which is most
effective, dressing in the skin and
feathers of the bird, their own legs
answering very well for those of the
ostrich. They manoeuvre the neck
and head with one arm, while carving
a bow and poisoned arrows concealed.
Disguised in this way, the hunters are
sometimes able to get near large
flock and secure several of the finest
birds before they are aware of their
approach.
Nowadays horses are used in hunting
the ostrich, racing with them for
hours until the legs of the birds become
so stiff that they can run no further, and
are obliged to succumb, running their
heads into some bush, supposing them
selves hidden, the head with them SEEM
ing to be the Important part to get out
OF the way. AS the ostrich never takes
straight course, but always runs in a sort
OF circle, the horseman has another adj
vantage. In whatever way they are
killed it's very important not to stain
the feathers, for 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,
kicking his adversary violently, which
kick is as dangerous as that of a horse
1t not only kicks backward like horse,
but forward, inflicting 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 in the absence of wings with
which to fly they have been given a
powerful weapon with which to pro-
tect themselves on land. What won
derful 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
nished with long, flexible, soft feathers
which spread like snowy sail as it
runs. The sheas are very pretty and
very funny birds. They have a very
curious habit of drawing in their necks,
shaking out their long wing feathers,
and saluting each other as if they were
overcome with joy, and then dashing
about in headlong frolic, and running
blindly against a fence, or bush, much
to their discontinue
The cassowary, found in the Malaccas,
belongs to the ostrich family. They
are easily tanned, and soon become
very much attached to their owners.
I They are exceedingly mischievous,
and, like all their species, great
thieves-always feeling privileged to
help themselves.
An English naturalist once owned a
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 a carpenter
at work about the yard, who came
rushing into his study in great alarm,
exclaiming:
"Doctor! oh, doctor! come quick,
one Of those birds of. yours has been
and swallowed my oil stone. It'll kill
the creature sure if you don't give him
something
ooh, it's just like him. Patrick the
doctor cody replied. He'll take your
hammer and chisel next; look OUT
The carpenter went back to his
work, greatly disturbed, nor would he
go on till the bird was placed in con-
finement; and then even he could not
get over his solicitude for it's welfare.
to say nothing of the loss of his fayorite