Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-09-20

VINO are unfamiliar with the appear
ance of an ostrich, it may be described
as resembling nothing more than a
large gas pipe set on tall and muscular
legs. The necks of the birds are about
three feet long and their heads but lit
tleIarger than their necks. While the
old school-book story to the effect that
when pursued in the desert the ostrich
burles its head in the sand has no
foundation, the bird is really stupid.
1t is unreliable, and has little, if any,
more regard for its keeper than for
strangers. The kick of the ostrich has
not been exaggerated in the old works
on natural history. If a mans lee
should receive the full force of the
blow 1t would certainly be broken.
Plucklng the valuable feathers of the
bird is consequently, a hazardous oc-
cupation. A curious fact about the
bird is that it never kicks unless it
can see its adversary. The ostrich
men have utilized this popularity, and
before plucking draw long stocking
down the neck of the bird, completely
blind-folding him. One of the keepers
overlooked a hole in the stocking re-
Gently and had a narrow escape.
The birds are in mortal terror of
dogs, and the sight of number of the
canine family will throw the whole
ostrich farm into panic which lasts
for hours. Doubtless the birds see in
dogs 4 resemblance to some of their
enemies in Africa. The alleged appe-
tite of the ostrich for old tin cans.
waste iron, and other indigestible
deicacies of q like nature is another
myth. The birds feed upon alfalfa, a
species of clover; corn and other
grains, with powdered oyster shells
and rock salt, to aid digestion. Visitors
occasionally give them fruit, of which
they are fond. When visiting the
ostricheS it is an open question whether,
you are the most interested in the birds
or they in you. They follow you as far
as their limits will permit, and as they
survey you from head to foot the be-
lief is almost irresistible that they are
mentally criticising the cut of your
coat or dress and rejecting rather
obviously whether you are really the
wonderfully smart being you seem to
think you are. If the ostriches' real
thoughts could be fathomed they
would probably relate to the posi-
bility that you have brought them
something to eat.
The color of males are nearly black,
and that of the females gray. The
females, in the season, usually lay
every other day. They are not per-
mitted to hatch their eggs. By re-
moving the eggs, they each lay about
ninety year, it is found most pro-
fitable to hatch the eggs by artificial
means. The ostrich egg, which is
nearer round than oval, weighs about
three and half pounds and has shell
about an eighth of an inch thick. The
shell is brittle and will break if dropped
from the hand to the ground.
The profit of the ostrich principally
comes from the sale of feathers. A
large income has, however, been de-
rived from an admission fee charged
visitors The parent birds here were
all brought directly from Africa, quite
a number dying on the passage. They
take kindly to their home in California,
and thrive even better than in their ma
tive land. They bear quite a low tenn
perature, and doubtless will do well
anywhere south of the Oregon line
ROSfO33 Yy0DSf1'jyH