Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1889-07-18
The ostrich laws an egg every third

The ostrich LAYS an egg every third
day. The eggs are large, many Of them
five or six inches through the long dia-
meter and they weigh from three to five
pounds each. The shell is usually very
thick, sometimes one-sixteenth OF an
inch. The contents resemble that Of q
hens egg, and amount to forty fluid
ounces. The period of incubation is
variously given at from thirty-eight to
forty-two days, and doubtless depends
upon the vitality and development Of
the chick. The average in California
is thirty-nine days. The young chick
can be heard in its shell days before it
appears. 1t is sometimes necessary to
assist the chick in breaking the shell.
In the wilds OF Africa the crows have
learned to crush the ostrich egg by let
ting stones fall ON them from q height.
In Africa the empty shells are used to
carry water; a network OF grass is made,
SO hat several may he carried at once.
In California there is n ready sale for
the empty shell, in some instances as
high as SO being paid for them as q
curiosity.
The ostrich industry began in Cape
Colony in 1865, with eighty-iive birds,
but when a decade had rolled around
the number had increased to 22,247 os-
triches. Then the industry began to Mt
tract general attention. The demand
for birds for farming purposes was 80
great. especially for the next few years,
that fabulous prices were realized by
those WHO had birds to sell. There are
now more than 100, 900 ostriches in
South Africa. The value OF the expor-
tation of feathers from Africa was, at
last accounts, the enormous sum OF
81, 000, 900 ut least. The New York inn
porters have long enjoyed a monopoly
in this business, and many large for
tunes have been made by them.
DR.. Duncan, who prepared the paper
on ostrich Turning for the department,
is an enthusiast ON the general utility of
the ostrich. 0striches can be utilized
as food, and may come to rank high as
an article Of diet when SO numerous as
to be profitoble in that direction. The
egg has been regarded as n rare delicacy
in Africa. When an ostrich in South
Africa is killed, from accident or other
causes, every part of the bird is utilized.
The first step is to remove the skin so
MS to preserve the feathers uninjured.
The next is to melt the fat, which is
poured into bags made of the skin OF the
thighs tied in the lower end. The grease
or fat Of the bird in good condition will
fill the skin of both legs, which hold
about four gallons; not only is it eaten
with bread and used in the preparation
of "kookoosoo' and other foods, but the
Arabs regard it as a useful application
in certain maladies. In all cases of
rheumatism or acute pains it is used by
being well rubbed in, and then the af-
fected parts are covered with heated
sand.
Those who have tasted ostrich meat
state that it is both wholesome and pal
atable, although, MS might be expected
in the wild bird, it is somewhat lean
and tough. When the birds have been
domesticated however, and fed on clover
and grain, the meat becomes juicy and
tender.
Experiments have been made from
time TO time with a view to test the cap
ability of the ostrich in drawing aud
carrying burdens. DIR. Sparrman, a
century 8 klifJl, SAW mouhteu 70
trichcs at the Cape; and before him
Moore had recorded his having seen an
Englishman ut Joar travelling long
distances upon a bridled ostrich.
When domesticated in Texas, as they
doubtless will be, says Dr. Duncan, we
expect to hear that the cowboys utilize
ostriches in herding cattle. Their fleet
ness shonld make them excellent mounts
for scouts and couriers.
Even the skeleton of an ostrich COM
mands a good price for public museums.
Prof. Ward, of Rochester, asks Sl25 for
a full mounted ostrich skeleton.-IDe-
troit Free Press.