Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1893-09-16
YARNS OF THE OSTRICH.
SOME QUEER STORIES OF THE
FOOLISH BIPEDS.
The Ladierous Waltzing of Young os-
triehes Due 20 Innate AukwardHess-
The Birds shiftlessness Regarding In
eubati0n a Godsend TO the Grow.

HE dance OF the ostFiches Is one OF
those peculiar native customs which
certain fowls develop. without any
apparent incentive except it may be
the Law Of heredity. It usually oc-
ours at early morning, when the
young, strong birds are let out Of
their enclosure. and il Is said 10 be
entirely due 10 aWkEardness and m
certainty. This leads them 10 adj
vance and turn in a dervish-like
whirl which IS very quaint and fan
tastic as they float about assisting
their motions by their outspread
wings They circle and reverse a.
most as a Walter would, and when q
large number OF these strange birds
go through their dancing antics il j.
almost impossible to believe that
they have not been taught the ac-
complishment BY a dancing master.
Their waltz otter ends in disaster.
as they break each others legs. which
is certain death. or become dizzy aac
fall down in a demoralized heap The
kick of an ostrich has been known
10 destroy life
This paper has nothing TO say OF
the industry Of ostrich farming,
either in Africa or America-that
profitable industry Of growing
fashionable feathers is quite too i'm
portant branch OF commerce TO be
disposed Of in a column, saws a
writer in the Detroit Free Press.
There are many books upon the 81 ,
jet which are very valuable and
quite practical | am only rehears-
ing few Of the peculiarities OF the
creature which have made il Of inter
est ever since the days OF job
(which leayeth her eggs in the earth
and warmeth them in the dust
1t would appear to be an evidence
OF cunning rather than studidity for
Mrs. Ostrich to adopt this very
simple method OF incubation. How
ever, it has its disadvantages. for
while she is away getting q coed din
ner her enemy, the white-nccked crow,
spies the ungarded nest lie knows
he cannot break one o! those NAM
moth eggs, and devises a shrewd
plan TO help him. Taking a stone in
his beak, he flies over the spot, cal.
culates with bird sagacity the nece5-
sary distance, and drops the stone.
Punk An egg IS broken and he des-
cends to his feast. This is said to be
the same kind Of raven that fed the
prophet Elijah. His wisdom seems
almost of supernatural order.
1t liz said that the CRY Of an ostrich Is
like the roar Of lion, and the Hot
tentots often run from It in fright
until they see the bird.
The ostrich IS generous layer
Sixty eggs will be found in and
around single nest. One OF these
eggs is equal to twenty-four hens
eggs. The Hottentots and Bushmea
cook an ostrich egg By putting one
end in a hot fire. Through an OPEN
ing in the other stir the contents,
putting in salt and pepper, making
very palatable omelet
While the ostrich has absolutely
no brain-see JOB for authority-it
has vicious propensities that show
some sort OF wicked intelligence
Some Cape Town people had fowl
fatting in special coop near an
ostrich kraal. The bird dropped and
grew thin. Il was watched and seen
to peer through the Stats OF its coop.
curious to watch its neighbors the
ostriches Every time IL put its head
out it received binding kick from
Its nearest neighbor, and would
soon have died had it not been re-
moved.
A meek-looking male ostrich stood
about with its consort looking so de-
jected that some visitors remarked
it must be henpecked.
"Oh, laughed their host. "he Is
henkicked. " and they soon saw him
receive a staggering blow from his
gentle spouse which sent him with
dropping feathers into q corner
Old Lightning belonged to an os-
trich farm at San Diego and was
magnificent bird. He acquired his
name from the rapidity with which
he could pluck lighted cigar or
pipe from a visitors mouth or re-
move his watch and chain or any or
nament he could discover. The
noiseless manner in which he could
steal up behind one and then nip
some personal property was remark
able. lie was natural born thief
Once he snatched all the flowers of
a young lady's hat. At another time
he attempted to swallow diamond
earring, but as it was fast in its own.
er's ear he could not manage it.
Old Lightning's greatest feat was
swallowing lighted meerschaum
pipe which he snatched from Wis
itor's mouth. The keeper had seen
him and caught him around the neck
and the pipe was exhumed, the to-
bocco still burning
His Natural Character.