Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1907-07-09
HAslTs OF TnE osTRICH.


southern California. one IN Arizona.
one IN Kansas and one in FIoritz;
and there are not less than ak thOa-
sand Of the gigantic birds n this
country growing piumes for ny II
dy's headgear.
The original ortrich farm n south
Pasadena Is annually visited by thou-
sands Of tourists. TIE big birds are
kept In fields enclosed with high
fences. They appear 70 be as tame a.
domestic fowls; bat II Il not safe FOR
strangers to take too much for grant
ed. As the male bird Is often III tenn
pered. and his kick - worse than that
81 a mule.
Early morning visitors witness the
most interesting performance Of the
birds, the matin waltz. When tie
suns first rays strike across the field,
the birds take their morning exerciss
70 stretch their muscles and Danish
the chill Of the night The larger
ones begin the performance with q
SLOW, stately dance, something Ike a
minuet Presently the whole HOek
Joins Ia the measure, stepping high
and weaving IN and out M shat seems
70 be- est though complicated figure.
~ nc dance proceeds the speed Of the
movement increases; then the birds
begin 70 whirl about and presently the
quadTilIe merges into a waltz. The
dancers. holding their heads high,
raise their wings and spread their
Dlurass IN the sunshine. and IN pairs
waltz eoIsmniy, sfrenuousIy Tor a
quarter of an hour.
Viewed from distance, a band Of
Waiting osfriches-wben the birds are
In fall feather-ls a beautiful picture.
AZ close range the Dretcrnafnral gray
ny Of the bird engaged IN the acem-
ingiy frivolous Dasflme Of the waltz
makes him an lueslstibly comic
figure.
Ostrich farms are most attractive 10
visitors az piuckiDg time. once ia
nine months To one never having
witnessed the operation II seems quite
a formidable task 70 capture ana
hold a $50 pound bird and relieve Il u
rs Diumage.
But the farmer has devised a way
that makes II a very simple process.
Soliciting q bird whose DIumes are
ready 70 pluck, be ls entlced with
sugar beets into triangular enci0s-
ure, then 10 the narrow end, and there
Imprisoned with bars. The ostrich IL
enraged when be finds that he q Inn
prisoned, but "a a moment hls head
10 cnysloDed IN a sack, ana being
blinded, bs becomes quiet and submIs-
siye. The pluckIng Il painless. Only
the smaller feathers ars pulled a. the
feathers are piucked from geese. The
large plumes are cut with care 70 pre-
serve the sockets of the quill from
injury.
Natural white or rare black plumes
require only washing and curling, but
most Of the pIumes are gray and must
be dyed for the market. The raw
feathers are sold IN San francisco
and New York, where they are pre-
pared for the trade By being washed,
dyed, starched, curled and pieced. The
ostrich plume on a lady's hat h no
more like the feather worn By the
bird than a ssalsi1n Jacket Il like the
natural fur Of his original wearer.
When the ortrlch Il three or four
years old he chooses a mate for life.
The usual span Of ostrich life Is about
80 years. II will BE- geen, therefore,
that this singular bird Is a model Of
homogeneous fidelity.
Also, he is a model husband, for
he does more than half Of the family
work. The male partner makes the
nest By kicking hole IN the ground
a foot deep and three feet across, and,
when the IL or Is eggs are laid. be
takes his turn at Matching, dividing
the time with his partner IN even
watches Forty days are required to
hatch the eggs, which are in proper
tion TO the size OF the bird
Often there IS a surplus Of eggs on
the ostrich farm. and hotels IN the
vicinity are supplied with the material
for omelets at fancy prices. Curiosity
induces tourists 20 pay these prices,
and they have been known 70 affirm a
hiking for ostrich egg omelets. The
she'll Of an ostrich egg Is 50 thick that
even the hard kicking bird could use
one as a football without damaging
IL.
The experience Of California ostrich
farmers IL that about thirty per cent
of the eggs deposited IN the nest are
not fertile. Several days after the
Matching process has begun the eggs
are tested by placing them, one At
time ia funnel and raising II toward
the sun.
II dark spot shows IN the egg II
Is probably fertIde II not X Is
thrown out Of the clutch. The incu-
bator has been successfully used after
the eggs have been a couple u weeks
under tho birds. In about six weeks
The baby ostrich may be heard inside
the shell and then II f. In order TO
crack the horny case and let the little
chap out into the air.-Rosary Maya
zine.