The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1889-01-18

gIaini the bird thrusts his head IN to
pick II from the ground, the second
attendant gives him a swift but gentle
hove which sends him further into the
itails when Nc. l thrusts a hand well
dong Lis neck and crowds his head into
stout stocking-iilce bag, made fast to
The stall at the further end. The bird Is
aged and the plucking or clipping pro-
sess can begin at once, the picking being
lone from behiud-as IL IS only ia front
hat he kicks. It is essential that the
wing plumes be cut or pulled with great
sare. as in them lies the high value of
ne ieaSher crop Each wing in good
condition yields an average OF twenty
ave long plumes, usually pure white; the
tail yields several; and, in addition. the
wing also furnishes the ''tipsn that make
he milliners' pretty and stylish trim
nings- 1t from three and a half to four
fears Of age the ostriches get their
growth and are completely feathered. but
.heir wings are always fraiI. They are
or ornament rather than for use. and no
ostrich IS ever able 10 fly or even to lift
Itself of the ground.
An ostrich IS not bird that one cares
o make much ola pet OF; aud it has the /
advantage Of being a fowl Of value that
even the most coTetously disposed will I
manifest no disposition TO steal. One
kick from that dangerous claw which
when the bird runs on grass, carries a
toe as sharp as any needle. is usually
sufficient 70 cSuse its memory to linger
ia any would-be thiei's miad fer a lie.
tins. Especially when the hen is Law
ing viii the male develop yiciousness in
an extraordinary degree, and it is dan
gerOus for even the herder to attempt to
cross their enclosure in near proximity
to the breeding couples nest.
a pair Of the Coronado birds con-
menced excavating Z nest in the rear of
clump Of mahogany bushes, very near
the entrance gate; but, fading this
place too public, they removed opera
tons TO the upper end OF the enclosure
where they are now at work and more
screened from observation. They are /
not 80 sheltered, however, that We could
not get sight Of fhsir basement nest. and
q queer structure Il must be when com
pieted. They dig it from the hardest
sand, the male using his claw until /
enough loose earth is thrown I'D to be re-
moved in their fat bills. when they both !
fali to work industriously. When per- {
fected the nest is about eight feet across I
and three feet IN depth, aud here the q
hen deposits an egg on each alternate a
day until litter Of some twenty is laid j
! inspected yesterdays egg, lifted it, i
measured il, weighed it-bHt did not L
bring it away; it was too valuable for e
that. found It six inches long, about Y
fourteen inches at its smaller circumfer- b
euee, and weighing three pounds and
nine ounces What an omelet a fresh 0
aid one would make for breakfast d
he herder had basket Of eggs c
freshly gathered, which he IS storing to j
end 10 Falibrook, where they are c
iafched BY incubator. If the hen is al o
owed 10 incubate her own eggs her set v
ing season is six weeks: and the male o
ONES in for his share of duty by setting
[ night. But It is not profitable TO put a
ems 70 Matching when the incubator can m
eRform the work better than the mother. 50
There is q mite that gives ostrich fo
reeders much trouble, and from which "
Is impossible to keep entirely free. 70
Whenever feathers are plucked It is nee M
ssary, on account Of this insect, 20 LET dc
hem lie exposed for two or three days, il
hen the mites die and car easily be lii
laken away.
Ostrich diet consists entirely of green a
uf ana a little grain Alfalfa, vege- to
ibles Of all descriptions, and corn are do
le staples. There are always cracked 1t
d withered and left over green things lea
at are useless for the tables, aud these toi
G served up as regular rations at the an
mp; but anything decs yed the fat
lad Il ole ]
IRE chopped bones and pounded sea Ian
ellis, as chickens require gravel It Is 16'
und that regularity in feeding and
1olesome supply Of nutritious yegeta
natter will greatly increase the as