The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1902-05-08
QUEER WAY OF osrn1cnEs.
Iirds That Are widowers DistinguisheA
fer Lifelong Ccnstancy.

Eirds That Are widowers Distinguished
fer Lifelong Ccnstancy.
One OF the largest ostrich farms in
America is at Hot Springs. Ark. The
owner, Thomas A. Cockburn, has a
tract OF land-about ton acres-in the
heart OF the town, where he has hi,
colony at seventy-hve African birds
cared for by trained men.
The farm is built in wandering sort
o. oblons, because the birds want mora
length than breadth to strut abou.. and
make 1o0-yard sprints, says cores
rondent of the st. Louis Republic. The
ground il carefully strewn with sand
and gravel. In the center there 10 a
parade ground or Hyde Park of the os'
r'ch colony, while around the onlons
zach family has its corral. no the
ostrich, who 10 an American, his hon11
Ia a sacred thing. AS he seems to ham
imbibed the atmosphere Of freedom and
Justice, the male bird tolerates no in
husion whatsoever in his corral. Gen
el al Funston and all the other ostrchea
have neat, swift kick for offense and
cefense that will kill man at one blow
their fights are Titanic.
It's rather curious that the big bird
is constitutionally very delicate 1t must
be constantly nutured and watched un-
III it reaches the age Of four years,
when it wants mate. A bird of Ger.
tain proclivities is paired off with its
like and does not part with its mate
until death intervenes. 1t will neva
take second mate, no matter if it livel
to the age OF $50 years. Take John H.
fol instance. He IL widower, but
rothinx on earth, according to Mr.. Cock
burnl will induce this bird 40 select anr
ether WE. Whether this Is due to ex.
cessive faithfulness or whether the
ostrich b wiser than another biped call.
ea man, has not been established b.
those verSsd in ostrich lore.
There u another w1dower on the
farm. He is very sensible chap IN al
matters except matrimony. Once tn;
vice oe jealousy possessed him aud IL
the fury Of it he inflicted such punish
Dent on his helpmeet with his awful
kick thai she succumbed to her lnnrie.
1vo days later.
The tragedy was due to 4 very un
tappy conjunction Of circumstance
The lady oe the household had bee
making "gpo-goo'' eyes at the conquer
irg and Irresistible Corbett and ,aile
te do her duty in Matching the eggs
After ostrich fashion, her husband KEEP
the eggs warm at night. This is rec
cgnized rule in ostrich households. Blu
: instead OF doing her share of the wor
ii the daytime, the wife gallivante
around the farm and told her husban
she was shopping. 1t came to his eal
that she was receiving attentions frol
tbs great Corbett, and then she eve
dirte1 with that creature betbre he
husband "a =. II, =, ".
Then ie happened that a largs health
family was PATCHED in the ad3Haia
Cleveland household, and the husoan
was wroth. He kicked his wife until h
could kick no more.
, About the only pretty ostrich u
baby ostrich. Then they are as cute q
a chick. When the ostrich begins I
get its growth it becomes ugly, ungair
~. Its body stands five feet high. Th
; long, snakelike neck and the fiat hea,
, with long, snaky tongue that cor
SANITY protrudes from its beak and tb
oblique eyes, give it a cunning, malls
nant look. Ita personal characteristic
as must be apparent, are vicious. 1t de
hehts IN waltzing. A number Of bird
will gather in a circle and dance
regular waltz, with polite bows to- the
partners, much after the manner {
. humans. AS high kicker it can teac
things to any danseuse.
And ostriches never bury their head
IN the sand and foolishly expect 10 es
cape capture. Whenever the young al
pursued they squat down in the desc
J and lay their long necks on the groun,
as their color is similar to that Of til
sand, end they are often thus missed
the chase. Ostrich eggs are neye
, hatched by the sun.
In passing it, it should be remarke
that there is quite an industry in til
sale Of the eggshells from which ii
birds have been Matched. Thew a,
mounted on orange wood, painted viii
pretty scene and sold as yaluab
. souvenirs. Normally the eggs weie
: about I'VE pounds and taste very we
when boiled. They are Matched usual
) in forty-dve days.
The p1unes from which boas a,
I made are cut off every eight month
With very exciting process that
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