The Burke County news. [volume] (Morganton, N.C.) 1899-1901, 1899-04-14
He Writes Of a Visit to an Ostrich
Farm in Jacksonville.
IRREGULARITIES OF THE BIRDS.
There is a Large Enclosure Where Males
and Females of a Marriageable Age are
Kept Until the Male Makes His Choice.

This ostrich farm was planted here
On last Thanksgiving day. 1t Is q
branch of the one at Galveston. few
years ago these e~nterprislnS men
gathered and bought tifty-two young
birds il Africa. They chartered q
vessel and landed thirty-nine OF them
safely IL Galveston. Inc others died.
Last fall Mr.. Pearson, who IS a Mis-
slssippian. brought over here a number
Of adult birds INC also a pair Of those
that came from Africa. He has here
now about thirty which are grown and
married and has a number Of chicks
from two days to four months old.
There Is a large Enclosure, where the
males aud females Of manageable age
are turned III and kept until the male
makes his choice. The female acQui-
esces without any coquetry. This pair
are then transferred to q smaller IN
closure, where the male at once begins
the process Of s~ublugatlon. He treats
her most shamefuliy-strlkes her
bites her, pursues her and gives the
poor thing no rest. [ saw him at 1t.
and wanted to take a big stick and
maui HIM. Complete ~suojugetlon is his
anlmus and after be gets that and she
humbles herself to the ground and
pleads for mercy his whole manner Is
changed. He takes her to wife and
treats her with the greatest consldera-
tIOL ana kindness the rest of tnelr mar
risd life.
Very many of these birds have mated,
and every pair has q separate Inclos-
ure, say about 50xlOo feet, where they
raise their young. The hen lays FROM
twelve to. twenty eggs---lays them on
the ground in a saucerlike place, where
the san has been scooped out. The
eggs are IN full view aud have no pro-
lection. When the litter is all laid the
male bird begins the incubation and
sets upon them every day from I p. m.,
until . o'clock next morning. The
female then promptly takes hsr place
and sets from . a. M, until ! y. m.,
but always takes a few minutes off
about noon to partake Of her dinner,
which the keeper provides, ana con
sists of chopped cabbage and clover hay
and small stones and oyster shells |
forgot to mention that the hen lays an
egg every other day and the time of
incubation Is forty days. My son, who
was with me, remarked to the old Eng
llshman that our commen hen laid an
egg every day and on Sunday they laid
:wo. us that SO, said he. Il was
not ware of that. 1t is indeed very
wonderful, and how does the hen know
when Sunday comes
"Oh. said my sou, they hear the
church bells ring
Nv Wonderful, WONDERFUL" said tho
old man with the simplest credulity.
50 devoted Is the male bird to his
first love, his tianced, thath he cannot bv
force or persuasion be induced 20 take
another. We saw a poor, miserable.
!acerated hen ID hospital quarters.
ohe had all the SKIN torn from hor
breast and Mr.. Pearson said the keep
or made a mistake when he transferred
q par u placed the wroug female IN
the Enclosure aud the male tried to kill
her Immediately and liked to have sue
ceeded. She was not his bride and he
knew IT..
rs soon as the chicks break the eggs
anu come fortn they eat nothing for
two or three days. The mother take,
them UP gently With her bill aud
warns them under her wings or how
ers over them IA the sand. suppose
that Is where The expression came from
the shadow OF thy wlucs /"
saw but oue neS born chick. f, was
only two ia ol There were quIte
a number III raf grown b.gds ani thew
are unSracesu. nnseemly and atnos,
hldeous. Indeed, tie adult birds are
not mucA better alter their tunes have
been pul.ed out. leSery niue months
they have Is submit 70 THIS de.tada-
iIon, Tor the llnmes br4yIn tie rev.
euue. EacA maze biri.4ves but we've
oiach p!ume- a. a P.cEin. aud these
! are worth from i ~ :. each. Ihev
are exq1isIte.y beautiful and # had
been rlcn would have purchased a
PAIR Tor my bride The females are a