Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-04-07
HUNTING THE OSTRICH
EXCITING SPORT on THE p,vp,
SOUTH AMERICA.
chase Dangerous to Life and Limb
heStrous Use of the
BoIaS
From the st. Louis GIor,-pcm,-r,t

from the st. Louis GIohe- Democrat
1t is not commonly known that ,,,r, 49,,
almost as many Ostriches in Soutb A,,,.rt,..,
aS IN Africa. and Yet the annual cxtorr az
feathers from the former country ., ~,
thi'ed States alone is in the neirhborbo,d
oil nineteen tons, representing in mon.,,
S41641 " i''''''S
The 'rhea," or South American ostrich
differs from the African bird in ba,ip,, So
mead and neck completely feathered in he
ing tai!less and having three toes instead
OF Two 1t may be found in large hunters
III me Argentine and Uruguay republics
ana III the country extending from Bolivia
Paraguay and Brazil as far south as the
straits of Magellan. Its home is on the
pampas, or plains: sometimes on omen
ground. and more often near cover nf
grass and stunted underground. since tho
pirds are wild and wary and their featbsrs
are IN demand, methods have been adontad
10 eaten them. and these methods arr. al
the same time business and The rnost
exciting sort of sport
A powerful horse in condition to stand
marc flGlng and long abstinence from wafer
IS the hrst consideration in ostrich buut
ing The course is both annoyfue- ana
dangerous. for. though the chase. is on
.SNel ground with no fences to fear. the
rhed lakes at once to the pa jas" or hi.h
grass. This is not on,y a hindraace in H.
sen Dut conceals innumerable holes mazda
by ground hogs and moles. that are a con-
slant menace to life and limb Yet on a
cIedF Gay IN the bracing South American
cilinat", with plenty of game speeding he
lore over country with an undulaiion like
me ocean, no more eXhilarating sport than
the chase Of the South American osfri,b
could be asked for. The most effective bnnf
Is that 70 lowed by the Indians or Gauch.s
hey use the "boias." or balls three ni4crs
OF stone. lead or heavy hardwood made
round and covered with rawhide Thes.
balls are attached To thongs of the Same
material, which are joircd together in the
center When all is ready the Indians
mount iheir horses and approach the game
IN large semi-circle. riding against the
Wlnd, Tor the ostrich is keen of scent and
once ne suspects the presence of a man Is
OIL like lightning
When birds are sighted the riders swing
the bolas round their heads with great
rapidity, their horses all the while going
at full gallop, and when within range huri
then at the game, entangling its legs, wings
OF neck, ana tripping il, or stunning il il
hit on the head or any sensitive snot IN
is Wonderful to See the natives rise in
thelr saddles when at full speed swing ths
palis ana MT the mark, sometimes at a dis
lance OF eighty yards. II one bird is
brought down the rest seem to become
pane stricken. and. instead of escaping
remain near their fallen compauion In
this way score of them may be killed in
one spot. "
To the man who loves hunting. for sal,a
OF the chase alone. horses and greyhound5
appeal more. 1t is a sportsmanlike race
Where the game has chance for its life
1t Is very like fox hunting. except that tn,
oStrch Is swlfter. if anything. and EMPLOYS
even more lodges than a fox For in
stance, when the hunters are pressing close
on the game and IT would seem that the
dogs were about to capture it, the bird
takes advantage of the least breath of air
raises one wing slightly. using ii as a sail
and. running slantwise against the breeze
Vanishes from sight like a leaf in a whirl-
wind III by any chance the breeze dies out
and the hunters again feel sure of their
ostrich, the latter doubles like a fox and
so quickly and suddenly that the dogs pass
beyond, making the hunt long drawn out
difficult and exciting.
Though game laws have been passed 7ro-
hibitins the killing Of ostriches during the
breeding season, little, if any, attention il
paid to them. 1t is estimated that from
5oo,oO to 100000 birds slaughtered an
nually. a number which has not only
thinned out the species to great extent
together. The only remedy for this in A
country where law is Ineffective would be
to establish ostrich farms similar to those
in Africa and California.
Nor Is the ostrich hunted for its feathers
alone. Its flesh is agreeable, somewhat re-
sembling mutton. and an omelet made of
the eggs, rather several omelets made
of one egg, possess a delicious flavor.
Consequently egg hunting is almost as
much of sport ostrich hunting. Several
hens lay in nest, which sometimes
holds from twelve to twenty-five eggs. The
cock often matches the eggs. and If dis
turbed during the operation becomes very
dangerous, not hesitating to attack with his
legs man horseback