Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1896-04-11
VALUABLE FEATHERS FLEW.
a Fight Birds That Can Kick D.
Hole Through an Inch Plank.

There was a terribly earnest fight nj
the Coronado ostrich farm across the
bay from San Diego, Cal. recently be-
tween two OF the largest aud ugliest
cock ostriches In the flock of thirty or
forty birds. The fighters weighed about
800 pounds each. They were evenly
matched and very plucky and did their
best to kill each other.
There is novelty about an ostrich
night The ~pondcrous birds are anick
~ eats. They use their feet more dex-
terously than n pugilist uses his fists.
and with far more effect. One of these
uirl- a thrust his bony pointed toe
through an inch board with very slight
effort. Such a blow is enough 10 Kill
al OK. With a single kick one d
these ostriches would disembowel a man
instantly.
The fight started over the division Of
cabbage leaves which Keeper Campbell
bad thrown to the hungry birds. Sel-
dom have two bipeds fought with more
desire To Kill than did these ostriches.
And a royal fight it was in the eyes OF
The keeper, AZ be saw plumes worth $40
each soar from the body Of q bird in re-
spouse TO the kick of the enemy and
fall crumpled and worthless in the dust.
Feathers didn't count for much in the
flashing eyes Of the ostriches.
They wanted blood.
Nothing but pure gore would satisfy
their sense of honor.
B.ood they did get. aud enough to
satisfy Gov. Waite ere the battle ceased.
With a deep hiss and outstretched wings
ostrich Jim bore down on Colonel like
a forty-footer in n gale, sheered 10 the
right, and caught Colonel on the left
thigh. ripping the thick hide of the bare
leg and causing it to bleed freely. Col
onel retaliated, and almost crippled
Jim's wing with a kick that nearly cap
sized him. They then spared with feet
and beaks, picking and kicking feath-
els from . another, until Colonel deal.
a terrific blow on Jim's stomach which
seemed to literally lift him from the
ground. Only the thick mass Of feath-
ers prevented the awful toe from pene.
trating Jim's abdomen.
Jim was game. Regaining his breath
he knocked Colonel oyer with a side
kick, breaking his wing. Colonel re.
covered his feet before the attack was
renewed. Both birds had by this time
lost their plumes, and looked as if they
had been plucked. Both were tired aud
weak from loss OF blood. Their attack.
grew feebler, aud finally. a. If by com.
mon consent, they ceased lighting and
walked of among the bushes to recu.
perate.
The fight was a draw md the anx.
ious keeper felt relieved hat the bird.
lived.
During the fight no man dared trust
his life near the fighters. Experienced
keepers seldom try to interfere. II
they do the concentrated anger Of both
birds is likely to fall upon the luckless
meddler and end in his death. An IN
terfering keeper once had his spine
shattered by a single kick from an
ostrich.
Ostrich farming is one of the grow
ing industries OF southern California
Ten or twelve years ago several farm,
were started with a total Of seventy
birds imported from South Africa
There are now 900 TO 700 birds in tina.
State, each yielding about $50 worth o
undressed feathers annually. IL cost
three cents a day TO feed each bird. Al
eggs are Matched in incubatorS, abou
50 per cent Matching successfully. Tn
chicks are allowed to run about in tn,
sunshine a few hours after Matching
Several days after birth they begin eat
ing tender vegetable sprouts. For nin'
months or so they are kept away from
adult birds lest their elders should xii
them. Until three months old a chicl
can be bought for S2j. In several year.
they attain maturity and sell for 800 L
~ Selected feathers especially the ION
white plumes. sell for 800 a pound
The birds are v~egetarians, with a pref
erence for alfalfa. but If allowed to &c
very hungry they would eat az Old bar