Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1895-11-28

large brown eyes, comical movements,
and perfect independence. When the
| chicks are Matched they are about the size
of six mont hs-old chicken, but grow so
fast that they are as large as an ordinary
hen when a month old. When eight
months old they are about two feet high.
At this age the feathers begin to be very
beautiful for their baby clothes are all
alike, in stripes of brown and yellowish
cast speckled somewhat with white.
The first feathers are plucked when the
birds are nine months old. These
feathers are somew hat stiff, with pointed
tips, and not very pretty. Out of these
feathers flowers are usually made. At the
second plucking, year hence, the
feathers are much handsomer, and at the
third they have attained the beauty of
the ostrich plume. After three years of
age the males become constantly blacker
and the females grayer, until at five years
of age both have leg, wing, and tail
feathers of pure white. The wings have
from twenty to thirty exquisite white
feathers, such as sell i1 our markets for
SO, SIS, or even $50 each, while at the
farm they can be had for $500 to $500
EACH
The thigh of the ostrich is the only
feshy part, and is very large and strong.
The skin is coarse, and has the appear
ance of bruised flesh. By nature these
birds are cruel, and if provoked fight to
the death. They make repeated efforts to
| 10 inn MT
prisoners behind prison bars, for in their
natural state they require large space for
swift running. They use their feet to
excellent advantage, not only when they
take to flight, but also when they ere re-
taken after flight. AS they run faster
than the swiftest horse, and have been
known to run mile minute, it is al
most impossible to capture them after
escape. They can be captured only by
stratagem, the best of which is by the
keeper putting on disguise closely re-
sembling the ostrich, and approaching
his runaway very cautiously.
The eggs are laid in the sand, and the
anxious solicitude shown by our home
| birds is utterly unknown to the mother
! bird, for she pays no attention to them.
| OF course, on the farm these eggs are very
carefully cared for, and are Matched i'll
| incubators. The female begins to lay
eggs when three years old, and usually
lays about forty a year, forty-five days
/ being required to hatch them. An egg
at the farm is wort h SEQ, and if the egg
is spoiled, the shell is emptied and sold
mented with Egyptian or Turkish designs
and used as souvenirs.
In eating, as well as in running, these
/ birds seem never to tire. They are fed
four times day, rs regularly as o'clock
work, and would eat ALL the time if food
were provided. Their food is carefully
mixed and placed before them, in sepa-
rate vessels, two pounds at each meal for
a fuil-grown ostrich. 1t consists of salad
bran, onions and very often cooked
beans, all chopped together and thor
oughly mixed. Much of this is raised on
the farm or in the immediate neighbour
hood As labor is very cheap and the
soil exceedingly fertile, producing two
and often three rich crops year, there is
but little expense connected with the
support of the birds.
We saw this day 800 full-grown os
triches and many more of all ages, dowr
to the new born chicks, scores ready to
peck the shell and walk out into The
world demanding a living, and hundred
eggs just placed in the incu bators.
While listening to the proprietor, in
tensely interested i'll his talk, and View
ing his fine stock of magnificent feat her.