Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1891-09-17

Things Connected With Feather Raising


Things Connected with Feather Raising
In South Africa.
Mrs. Annie Martin, in her new book,
Home Life on an Ostrich Farm" tells
some highly interesting things in con-
nection with the ostrich industry that
are new and amusing and decidedly
worth knowing. Nowhere else can be
found such close study of the ostrich,
surely the most absurd, unreasonable
and unmanageable Of birds.
One of the worries of the ostrich
farmer, according to Mrs. Martin, lies in
the idiotic timidity of his charges; the
ostrich's heart is always in his mouth,
he is as nervous as fanciful woman and
is al ways ready to run away, and very
likely break his legs in the process
Sometimes when frightened he runs so
Tar that he is never again heard Of.
Mrs. Martin mentions one bird which
thus entirely disappeared at railway
speed, mischievous boy having tied a
ne wspaper TO its tail. Another quality
which also entails loss upon the farmer
is the creatures viciousness. The fin
est and most promising birds are the
most savage, and not seldom have to be
killed in selt-defense by their keepers.
Only one thing turns a savagebir into II
suppliant: If he finds you between him.
self and his nest he squats at your feet
in dsmay and appeal. If you don't
happen to have Il 'tackey," however,
then you must stay until somebody
comes to relieve you, for Master Os-
trlch is ready to charge as soon rs you
move out of line. One stroke of it's
powerful leg
WILL KILL MAN.
and it is only held in subsection by the
'tackey," which is n stout branch of mi
mosa with the thorns left on one end.
Waiting until the birds come to close
quarters, the bearer of the tackey
thrusts it into his face. The thorns
force him to shut his eyes, and rs he
runs blindly forward his visitor springs
aside. BY the time the bewildered os-
trlch is ready to make another charge
his antagonist is at some distance with
the tackey again in position. Only one
bird at time holds an interview with
you, for in all large ostrich-camps
each father of family has his own
domain fenced off by invisible lines
known only to his kinda domain on
which no other ostrich save the one or
two hens of his household iares to
enter, and from which no human in
truder escapes unscathed if he have no
tackev. AS the ostrich-farmer walks
over his estate he thus undergoes a sue
cession of challenges from Il number Of
vicious birds all determined to have his
life if possible, but all afraid of the
thorns on the tackey. Mrs. Martin thus
describes their preparation for battle:
"When an ostrich challenges he sits
down; ana Tapping each broad wing
alternately, initiates his neck, and
l>rS h
side to side, and with each roll striking
the back of his head against his bony
body with so sharp and resounding II
blow that II severe headache seems
likely to be the result" When about
to attack, it draws itself up, stands on
tip-toe, stretches its neck to the full ex-
tent, and really seems to gain several
feet in height. Our author observes
that the new chum" in South Africa
who is inclined at first to look with con-
tempt on the precautions taken against
savage ostrches learns III time to have
a proper respect for the innocent-look-
ing creatures, whose
SOFT, DARK BROWN EYES
look at him SO mildly (when he is on
the right side OF the fence) that he
finds it impossible to believe the stories
told him of their wickedness, and
nothing but u close acquaintance can
undeceive him.
On one of the farms II sturdy new
conner, six feet in height, starting ont
for an early morning walk, was eau
toned against going into IL certain camp
where the ostriches were dangerous.
He laughed ut his friends advice, told
them he was mot afraid of dickey-
bird" and disdaining the proflered
tackey, started off straightway in the
forbidden direction. lie did not return
home to dinner; Il search was made for
him; and eventually he was found,
perched up on q high lronstone bould-
or lust out of reach of large ostrich
which was doing sentry, walking up
and down and keeping vicious eye on
him. There he sat for hours, nearly
| roasted alive (ironstone boulders III the
! karroo can get so hot in the sun that 1t
| blisters your hand to touch them), and
there he would have had to sit till sun
! down had rot the timely appearance of
his friends relieved him of the too press
ing attention of the 'dickey-bird. /"
| Another gentleman had theory that
any creature, however savage, could be
subdued "quelled," rs he said-by the
human eve. One day he tired to Quell
one of his own ostrlches, with the result
that he was presently found by Tt in
very pltldhtS ~ Su,N"'HSit' - 80 w
the ground, while the subject of his ex-
pertinent jumped up and down on nun,
occasionally varying the treatment by
sitting on hlm.
An odd phase of the ostrich stupidity
is his determination to die if the least
accident befals him. Naturally they
live to o great age, never showing any
SIGNS of decrepitude, and their feathers
not deteriorating; it is accident which,
sooner or later, ends the career OF
nearly every ostrich. IF his hurt, 4"
saws Mrs. Martin, sis not sufficiently
severe to kill him he will attain his
object by moping and refusing to eat
anyhow he dies-often apparently Tor
noother reason than because his master,
against whom he has always had a
drudge, wishes him to live. lie seems 10
''p1E OUT or SPITE. :"