The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1900-01-05
Ghr1rmnrraf-S Star
SOME OSTRICH STORIES.

80
icrcsting. and there are tales without
number of the strange antics Of the
cartons birds. Naturally the FIRST
Thought which occurs on seeing an
ostrich is, How fast can it rum?
When feeding, the stride is only from
20 10 ~ inches; when walking, but
not feeding. the stride is 26 inches.
hut when terrified the bird possesses
wonderful sprinting qualities and
takes steps varying from III to II feet.
Taking II feet AS an average, they
would cover about 25 miles an hour,
but the stories Of birds travelling a
mile a minute are open 10 question.
Other traits OF which wc are always
hearing is their lack OF both suspicion
and intelligence. Bushmen cluthe
themselves in one OF their skins, and
under cove OF this go nea enough to
Kill them with poisoned arrows.
When the bird considers he has dis
tancrd his pursuer, he often puts his
head in the sand. thinking he has
thereby made himself invisible.
Sometimes when hotly pursued lie
turns upon his enemies and gives Sc
we're wounds with his feet, The hab-
its II the ostrich are not particularly
attractive. They eat fruits, game,
vegetables, leaves, tender shoots, in
sects, snails and any other food that
can be picked up, including all kinds
uf iudigc>tihle substances, which they
swallow from stupid v0racity. They
are equally foolish about laying their
eggs; they often begin before the spot
has been fixed upon for the nest, and
the solitary eggs are often found lying
fnrsakrn al over the district frequent
cd by the ostrich. The nests are sim
ply holes in the sand and vary from 3
Ia 6 feet in diameter. In these are
laid by a Single bird, or many in com
paliy, from twelve to fifty or sixty eggs.
They are incubated by night and left
10 the heat of the sun during the day.
The males assist in the incubation
aud also in taking care Of the young
until they can provide for themselves.
When The ostrich chicks are as big as
acnmmun fowl, they run with great
rapidily,
Europeans do not care for the taste
OF the ostrich eggs, hut businen are
very fond Of them. They weigh from
two to three pounds and are equal to
q hens eggs. The flesh some
what resembles turkey, but Is very
tough. 1t will be remembered that
the ostrich has been known from re-
mote times. and their brains were
served un as food on the tables Of the
Romans, and are referred to even in
the book Of job.
Ostrich farming has already become
a considerable industry in this coun-
try, As u readers will remember.
Down in Florida, on an ostrich farm,
there is al ostrich which acts as
Waterman. and woe betide the cUlored
gentleman fond Of taking fowls which
do not belong to him. Such a perSNn
was nearly killed 10y this bird while he
WIS attempting to steal some pleas
ants, This interesting bird, which
has been dubbed "Nepole0n," patrols
The camp every little while, giving at
intervals u cry which may be said TO
mean AN is we'll" If anything
alarms him, he at once communicates
IT, Ia his cUmpani )nS by a series of
ycllS as he advances to the attack.
The Brooklyn Eagle recently gave an
interesting account Of the method uf
procedure Of this bird.
When lighting, the ostrich attacks
his opponent with his feet with a SC.
les Ut lightning-like but terrific for
ward kicks. The power behind these
efforts would make any government
mule die wish envy, and when it is
known that tile feet themselves are
like Ordinary railroad spikes, and 0s-
trichcs have been known to disemb0w.
ell a horse, it can be imagined what
chance an unarmed person would
stand in u GghJ. Napoleon" stands
nearly ten feet high and weights over
400 pounds. lie is a bird OF unusual
intelligence, and during the day he is
violent enough for ordinary purposes.
At night. however, he becomes Il true
demon, aud often his keeper is obliged
10 stand at a distance; aud to see his
keeper force Napoleon" back to his
pen every morning, with a large fork,
is one OF the sights of the ostricl,
farm. The enormous bird screechcs
with rage and strikes out with his
feet, all the while slowly giving way.
One night those on the farm were
awakened by a most terrific series OF
noises. Mingled with the roars Of
"Napolc0n' were the agonizing shrieks
nt "A human being. Rushing to the
pens, the cause was OOn discovered.
There, carecning wildly, was a negro,
and at his heels followed 'NapoleOn.n
The sight was laughable had it not
been Of a rather serious oruer. The
ostrich would strike out and the ne.
gro would make a zigzag run. In the
bright moonlight the negroes face was
hlanchcd white with the fear Of death,