The Port Gibson reveille., 1911-01-12
OSTRICH FAkmAl,,..
SOW the Bird o. =
'' .ne Beautiful
.~mage L Raised
4 Ca1iEOrnia Industry That Returns Coed
RrOnts, Though the Risks are Great
Some Of the Ways and oharaes
teristtcs OF the Ostrich.

~@A@~~A@3 $50 @@N@A~eA@a
Among the many points Of interest about
this city is the Pasadena Ostrich Farm,
writes Cincinnati Enquirer correspondent
from Pasadena, Cal. It is only short ride
from town. q
On one of the innumerable sunny, cloud
less days that come to Southern California
we visited the ostrich farm. Over the en-
trance gate are the words: "Admissiou
twenty-five centsn We had been invited
none the lighter for the visit.
Before US was picketed inclesure, over
one side Of which canvas is tackled, that the
curious passers-by may not have q view Of
the ostriches without paying the admission
tee.
Leaving the carriage we walked along 70
the far side of the inclosuro. AB we stood
before the fence the keeper gave peculiar
call and the ostriches hurried toward as.
We had expected such gre at birds to move
Awkwardly. Instead. they more with an
easy, gliding gait not unlike the canels.
Perhaps both acquired It in the same way
from walking over the deep sands In their
native land.
There must have been twelve or Aftsen
eStriches in the corral. They are strange
looking creatures, with long, bare legs,
broad, Aat bodies, and long, serpent-liks
neclgs, well suited to their small heads and
bright eyes. The body Of the ostrich is
from four to hve feet high, and the head
rises high above the back, eight or ten feet
from the ground.
As we gazed at the strange birds enc Of
our party remarked, laughingly, that the
id fv,k khah nd otN
10 have lost its meaning.
Standing before eight or ten OF the queer
birds, with their small heads darting here
and there, by the quick twists and curves
Of the snake like necks, Is enough to make
one uncomfortable. The legs are 50 stilt-
Ike that, for time, oRly scaly, bare legs
and writhing nscks impressed rs.
We offered q few oranges In our out
stretched hands. The necks wriggled over
the high fence and quickly the oranges
were snatched from our open hands and
swallowed whole.
We know that this is true, FOR we saw
them passing down through the long,
cstriches showed two or three distensions
Of the neck.
The birds foot has two toes-indeed, IL
another seemingly undeveloped.
But it is for its plumage that the ostrich
is noted. We turned our attention to -
plumage.
The great bodies are thickIy covered With
overlapping feathers, looking somewhat
like thoroughly worn-out tips. The male
gray.
We were greatly surprised to see ths
number Of plumes on the wings-not Less
than thirty or forty overlapping on the tip
Of each wing.
The keeper threw several handfulS Of
corn to the ostriches, also some alfalfa "a
kind Of hay), cut up and wet with water.
They seemed greedy, but we were told It
did not require great deal to keep them.
While the heads were darting about Tor
the feed on the ground the keeper lifted
one Of the wings and ran his hand through
the mass Of feathers, calling forth an ex-
clamation Of surprise and delight from cash
OF as.
The Anes4, heaviest plumes In which
women always delight are the tail feathers
the soft white ones are from the tail Of the
male bird. Long white feathers also tip
the wings Of the male, but the most Of his
AgAeAASAA
These are the three natural eoIors-black,
white and gray-and after cleaning the
feathers are ready for use, If the natural
must be bleached, and II some coler othor
tanned by dyeing.
Atthe farm the wing feather may be haa
FOR about e1.50, the price varying with the
sigs Of the feathers.
An ostrich egg IL about the length Of
one's hand and about as wide, in form like
hens egg, excepting that it b less pointed.
It is heavy in proportion to its size, for the
shell is very thick; in appearance It Is Hhs
porcelain. We saw three shells 'blowA
out'' like Easter eggs. The price Of the
empty shell is s1.50i The fresh eggs are
not TO be had ct any price.
Tourists buy the empty eggs. SomedesO-
rate them for their Eastern homes. But
they would certainly be much more pleas
ant without the decoration"
Here in California the eggs are hatchsd
In incubators. We were told that Matched
In this way the young birds made their ap-
pesrance after forty days and are then about
the size Of hen.
IN Africa, the home Of the ostrich, the
eggs are often left for days with no other
heat than that Of the sun. Here the nights
are 50 cold that the only practicable way Of
Matching the eggs is by the use Of aA hsu-
bator.
The birds Of which havs been writing
are about four years old, and were imported
from Africa. The length Of time required
to bring eggs to this country from Africa is
50 great that it makes their importation
wholly impracticable
Should the conditions here prove favorable
70 the raising Of the ostrich It ought to be Q
very profitable business. Each bird bears
80 many plumss, and these may be gathered
yearly.
Ia raay localities in Africa where the os-
arich was once found in great numbers, they
are rapidly disappearing before the maroA
Of civilization.
From early times their plumes have ben
admired and worn. The demand for them
seems 20 be increasing rather than dimin
IshinR Their demand has made what ts
called ''ostrich farming very profitable IN
Africa. In wild state from five to lfty
may be found together. The nest
Is q shallow pit scrsped out Of the sand with
their feet. In this nest from four TO I'VE
females lay their eggs. When ten to twelve
eggs are laid the cock begins TO brood.
During the night he is surrounded by his
wives. This Is presumably to guard the
nest from iackals and other wild animals
rather than to assist in Matching the eggs, for
they are often left for days to the heat OS
the sun only. About thirty eggs are laid
Ia the nest and as many more are scattsraa
ASouadit
Hunters often cover themselves with
masks Of ostrich feathers, and Ia this way
the shy birds. Only the yoHna
sirds are captured.
II the ostrich in Southern California missea
he torrid heat Of its native country, II