The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-02-09
OSTRICH TREES HIS KEEPER.
Amusing Incident on Breeding Farm
in Florida.

Amusing lHClUenG on Il breeulHS L arm
in Florida.
From the Jacksonville Citizen.
The pleasant weather of recent date
attracted large number of visitors to
the ostrich farm in Fairfield and dur
ing the afternoon the grounds were in
spected by 200 to 800 people. The antics
OF the huge birds and the performances
OF the young ones were an unfalllnS
source of amusement and study. Mr..
Campbell, who has the immediate care
of the ostriches, and who has name.
for each of the~60 or more of them,
rarely leaves them for even short
time. Strangers fail to see distinguish
ing marks between them, but he recog-
nizes each as distinctly as he would
human being or an old acquaintance.
In fact, he recognizes them quicker
than some of them do him, and he had
an experience several days ago that
illustrated this. He was in the big
yard where they have their runway,
when Corbett made a start for him.
Experience has taught him that the
safest place as a refuge from an angry
ostrich is beyond his reach, and so Mr..
Campbell made quick time to the near
est tree and was soon lodged in it's
branches, a dozen feet from the ground.
The bird had him freed and seemed de-
termined to keep him in that embar-
RAISING position, but after some, time
spent in parleying Corbett recognized
his keeper and allowed him the freedom
Of the grounds. " ~
Beau Brummell, who recently went
to housekeeping with the bird of his
choice, has been behaving very badly
within the past week and a divorce was
decreed on the ground of i'll treatment
and violent temper, Accordingly MI.
Brummell was escorted back from the
breeding pen to the big yard, where the
majority of the ostriches are kept.
This was done in the expectation that
Napoleon, who held the heavyweight
championship, whould teach him les
son. Soon the big birds were throwing
challenges at each other and the big
fight was on. 1t lasted only one round
but that continued for fully 10 minutes,
when both birds retired for a rundown
and to catch their breath. When time
was called Napoleon did not come to
the scratch and now Beau Brummell
holds the belt.
The rainy and cold weather of last
week seemed not to have harmed the
ostriches in tho least, and Manager
Pearson remarked that they could
stand more cold than most human be-
ings. They are given no shelter be-
yond what is afforded by the large
trees scattered through the grounds.
The fact seems surprising when it is
ostrich is under the burning suns of
Africa.
The peculiar habits of the ostrich
make him an object for the constant
study of the naturalist as well as for
those who may not desire to watch so
closely these habits. Their time for
particular activity, at least at the
present time of the year, is at night.
Then they take much of their exercise
and race round and round the ground
with the speed of the wind. They also
choose the night mainly for the exer-
else of their vocal powers. When angry
they make a Kissing sound much like
that of a goose. When specially en-
ragged, they emit roar like that of
lion, which may be heard at consider
able distances. This is often accompa-
MED by a swelling of the neck to sew
eral times its natural size. The chal-
lenge to fight is also remarka BILE per-
Torrance. The bill is opened to it's
widest expansion and a hiss is shot
forth: then the bird drops down on its
launches, spreads it's wings to their
fullest extent, and the whole body is
rocked from side to side and it writhes
its long neck like a snake, while the
splendid white plumes on the under side
of each wing are spread in magnificent
array, and the outer black feathers
seem to culver with rage When the
two birds meet thus the sight Is an ex-
citing one, for when the challenge is
accepted the birds rise with a sudden
movement and rush at each other with
an impetus that is hard to resist. The
beak plays a very unimportant part in
the fight. It is the terrific strength of
the forward kick or strike of the leg
which is most to be dreaded. The foot
or toe is armed with tip or horn or
gone like claw. sharp and hard, and
the outward and downward. blow from
this is sufficient to rend even a pine
board It may be imagined what the
result would be if the target were hu-
man flesh or the body of an opposing
bird. The male birds are the fighters,
as the females are usually tame and
docile.