Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-06-19

record on the track.
A very singular sight was witnessed
in one Of the breeding pens. 1T became
necessary for an attendant to go into
IT. and taking another man with him,
each having a pole twelve feet long
with a broad fork Of two tines at the
end. they entered the per-, place some
30 feet by 100 feet. AS soon as they
entered the male bril- rushed at them,
the female making no demonstration,
and very adroitly the fork was held
against the neck Of the bird near the
body and the end passed into the
ground. The bird exerted it's strength,
which was evidently very great, in
pushing against the fork. While he
was doing this the other attendant did
the necessary work inside the inclo-
sure In an adjoining pen the female
got up from the nest and as soon as
she did SO the male walked to 1t and
crouched down, with the body about a
foot above tho eggs, and then sat down
upon the latter, with the wings spread
out so as to make ii appear even larg-
er than in reality. Suddenly in a pen
a little farther along n booming noise
was heard, with series of quick
strikes, and the male bird therein was
found to be making most extraOrdi-
nary show whether for the diversion
of his spouse or of the visitors no one
could say. He was on his knees, the
wings spread out widely and being
waved slowly UP and down. the widely
curved neck being thrown alternately
from one side to the other SO that the
head struck first one side and then the
other just above the wings, making u
sound sometimes louder and sometimes
lower, the vibration being very great.
The bird kept this up for some mo-
ments. then suddenly sprung erect and
dashed at the fence. iunging savagely
over with his head, apparently at the
entire group Of spectators. Over with
in the ring at least three-score
ostriches were noticed looking across
the track at. this odd performance.
They are very inquistive birds and want
to see everything that is going on. At this
stage of the proceedings one of the driv-
ers announced that a race was on. Oliver
]. had his bride on his head and it was
only necessary to strap to it the reins.
so that he was caught with one of the
forks. a rein attached, a cloak thrown
over his head and he was led out to be
harnessed to the diminutive four-wheeled
buggy. When everything was ready the
jockey got in this seat, gave a sharp cry
to the bird and away the latter went
making lively time, leaning far forward
and digging into the ground with his pow
erful toe. seven inches in length. and its
hooflike claw. Around the track it came
its ugly head swaying and its eyes glitter
ing with strange light. 1t appeared to
really enjoy its performance and also the
applause of the spectators. which, to be
sure. was liberal. After it was out of
harness another ostrich was led up to- be
plucked. 1t was blindfolded and was tax
Ell into narrow pen, made exactly like
those used by blacksmiths in shoeing bad
mules, with two bars behind and two in
front and high edges, in order to obyiate
any chance of a blow by the angry bird.
With very careful touch the left hand
was slipped along to the base of a feather
and pressed against the skin. while with
the right hand the feather was drawn
from its socket, it reaching fully an inch
into the flesh The operation did not seem
to give the bird any pain. Quite n num-
Der of fine feathers, mainly white. were
taken; these. of course. needing only
cleaning to be ready for use. All the
feathers are carried to the sorting-house
and there carefully gone over. there being
standards of lengths. There is n remark
ably great sale of the feathers also of
fans anr articles of wearing apparel made
from them. There is also much Of a sale
or eggs. of little baby ostriches which
are as large as an ordinary chicken two
thirds grown, and of the bones of os-
triches. the leg bones looking like that of
a horse.
Everywhere there are precautions taken
to prevent visitors, always more or less
inquisitive from being injured by these
great birds. and at the breeding pens
there are double fences of wood and wire
the latter very high. With some of the
attendants the ostrches appear to be fl
miliar. though they are apt to be very
violent toward strangers. These os
triches are, as stated. from Africa, ana
are very distinct from the South Ameri- |
can ostrich. which is much smaller with
much more plumage, and which is known |
as the rhea. or American ostrich. The
superintendent of the farm says that the
ostriches require a good deal of care and |
n suitable climate, and that under these
conditions they are very profitable In
Africa an ostrich is considered to REQUIRE
ten acres of good grazing ground. OF the
largest feathers, of which there arc
twcnty-four on the wing of each male
bird. and which are in the most request.
the average value is $l25 Il pound
The price of an healthy ostrich only ,
week old is $50, and q months old Sl50
When the bird is l year old the feathers
may be pllcked, and each crop is con-
sidered to be worth about 81, to n bird
,Fhe birds are supplied always with large
quantities of cracked corn and there 10 |
running water in troughs, while all about
are troushs containing pebbles of various
sizes. For nearly fifty years ostrichas
nave Deem domesticated in South Africa
where nearly 100000 are privately owned
and whence their feathers are shipped tn
all parts of the world. The feathers ara |
not only priced by women but IN tn n |
recent time were used IN |
war. and three white ostrich feathers or
Wales. They We're also the badge of thn |
Plantagenets. The ostrich is mentionad |
frequently In the old testament, and is
believed to have been prohihitad
as food for the Jews. as unclean. as viii
be seen by reference to Leviticus Wig
though in our bibles the word is transjat
ell owl. The eggs are occasionally aat |
en- in the United States, but only nv Nc |