Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-11-13

ager. One appreciates this model husband
the more upon seeing how tenderly he
lowers his great body, weighing $50 pounds,
on the nest Of egs But the manager re-
marks that appearances are ever deceit
full, and the model husband is not so ut
terly unself1sh he would SEEM He
chooses to do his sitting in the night. when
ne would be sitting on sand if not on eggs.
The marriage customs of the ostrich
farm are similar to those of some foreign
lands. but unlike those of the American
people. husband is selected for the fe-
male ostrich without consulting either Of
the parties. and without any ado thew
stralghtway learn to love each other and
,ive happily ever after. Divorce is I'M
k knoWn mere and arrangements are I'M
heard of. THE husbands are just Jealous
enough the manager declares. A visitor
notices that there is double line of fence
ana an alley six feet wide between the
breeding pairs.
one ostrich egg would make a good meal
Tor family of six or seven people. It
would make an omelette equal to two dozen
i men eggs, and as for flavor, you wouldn't
trlches lead a rather indolent life as their
FAMILY cares are brief, the chicks being
born. % ''ieS are
His First Meal.
The baby birds. little brown, fluffy things
OF ABOUT the size of full-grown bullets. an
peal TO ones sentiment and affection-not
ior very long, however, as in three months
they nave grown to be tall, ugly and
quarreisome The chick signalizes his ar
.Nai III the world by telephone, says our
iiiehu' the manager. The mother hears
her child tapping on the inside of the shell
anu breaks the egg by pressing on it with
her breastbone. Contrary to mother M.
lure, she makes no disturbance when the
oHspr1ng are removed to the warm quar-
bn.,r Wiicn the farmer has provided and
o ounuied up In alfalfa. For two days the
osirlch chick can't be tempted to ear anv-
thlhs. and then he suddenly develons an
appetite for gravel His infant pa,ate rel
lshes nothing but little stones Of the size
ana l Z, r. peas and bits of ground bone,
a! anu II Is week or two before the child he
sihs 10 peck at the delicious alfalfa or Cal
norma clover that is spread around hin,
- ~ Is a singular taste for baby. hut
life Rv +h mas singular tastes all through
NJ, Sy the way, an ostrich's span is like
tnat OF mankind. three score and ten years
f-a iniants which had just emerged
s stuah she smell three months ago. can now
stretch up three feet. For six months
tney grow at the rate of a foot q month
II they enjoy health and good luck
sd" only one stunted bird in the flock or
so uoop; as the farmers say. HE never
seeLieu 10 thrive very well, anyhow. hut
ne IooIed with a hay cutter last fall and
sot fearful clip in the head. which SET
MN pacK worse than ever" SAYS the man
ager. Ae iidi-
As an Investment.
anybody who chooses to buy one can
Keep an ostrich With ordinary care. such
as one would give horse or a cow thew
Will thrive in almost any climate this side
OF Alaska. Their keep is not extensive
Iheir daily bread consists of peets and
grass and corn, with a little more corn in
cold weather. There are 400 or 500 ostri.hes
IN oinerent parts of California. but thew
nave prospered better in Pasadena than
anywhere else. The feather industry is
larry on its feet here, and will be profit
aDie: one can buy an ordinary fuII-grown
o os suitable for circus purposes. for
sIUO. but good pair of breeders is worth
soo. The male is the more valuable. for
ne wears the better clothes. An attempt
made short time ago, but met with in
different success. The bird does not take
kindly to training of any sort He seems
to have only one aim in life, and that is to
grow feathers with which other bipeds NAV
adorn themselves. '