SOME OSTRICH STORIES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 65, 17 March 1900, Page 2 (Supplement)

SOME OSTRICH STORIES.

INTERESTING SIDELIGHTS ON NATURAL HISTORY. The ostrich is a curious and remarkable bird, with it? enormous body, long legs, and small head. The experiences of the ostrich farmers, both in Ai'rica and America, tire most interesting, and there are tales without number of the strange antics ot the curious birds. Naturally the first thought which occurs on seeing an ostrich is, how fast can it run? "When. Seeding(says the "Scientific American") the stride is only from 20 to 22 inches; when walking, but not feeding-, the stride is 26 inches, but when terrified the bird possesses wonderful sprinting- qualities, and takes steps varying from lli to 14 feet. Taking 12 feet as the average they would cover about 25 miles an hour, but the stories of birds travelling a mile a minute are open to question. Other traits of which we are always hearing are their lack of both suspicion and intelligence. Bushmen clothe themselves in one of their skins, and under cover of this go NEAR ENOUGH TO KILL THEM with poisoned arrows. When the bird considers that he lias distanced his pursuer he often puts his head in the sand, thinking- he has thereby made himself invisible. Sometimes when hotly pursued he turns upon his enemies and gives severe wounds with his feet. The habits of ostriches are not particularly attractive. They eat fruit, game, vegetables, leaves, tender shoots, insects, snails, and any other food that can be picked up, including all kinds of indigestible substances, which they swallow from stupid voracity. They are equally foolish about laying their eggs; they often begin before the spot has been fixed upon for the nest, and the solitary eggs are often found lying forsaken all over the district frequented

NEAR ENOUGH TO KILL, THEM with poisoned arrows. When the bird considers that he has distanced his pursuer he often puts his head in the sand, thinking- he has thereby made himself invisible. Sometimes when hotly pursued he turns upon his enemies and gives severe wounds with his feet. The habits of ostriches are not particularly attractive. They eat fruit, game, vegetables, leaves, tender shoots, insects, snails, and any other food that can be picked up, including all kinds of indigestible substances, which they swallow from stupid voracity. They are equally foolish about laying their eggs; they often begin before the spot has been fixed upon for the nest, and the solitary eggs are often found lyingforsaken all over the district frequented by the ostrich. The nests are simply holes in the sand, and vary from three to six feet in diameter. In these are laid by a single bird, or many in company, from 12 to 50 or GO eggs. They are incubated by night and left to the heat of the sun during the day. The males assist in the incubation, and also in taking care of trie young'until they can provide for themselves. When the ostrich chicks are as biff as a common fowl they run with great rapidity. '•NAPOLEON," THE'PATROL. Europeans do not care for the taste of the .ostrich eggs, but bushmen are very fond of them. They weigh from two to three' pounds, and are equal- to 24 hen's eggs. The Hesh somewhat resembles turkey, but is very tough. It will be remembered that the ostrich has been known from remote times, and their brains were served up as food on the tables of the Romans.and are referred to even in the book of Job. Ostrich farming has already become a considerable industry in the United States. Down in Florida, on an ostrich farm, there is an ostruch which acts as watchman, and woe betide the coloured gentleman fojid of taking fowls which do not belong to him. Such a person was nearly killed by this bird while he was attempting to steal some pheasants. This i interesting bud, wnicii he s been Or.Lfced

"Napoleon," patrols the camp every little while, giving at intervals a cry which may be said to mean "All is well." If anything alarms him, he at once communicates it to his companions by a series of yells as he advances to the attack. The "Brook-/ lyn Eagle" recently gave an interesting account of the- method of procedure of this bird.

A SORT OF FRENCH BOXER

When fighting the ostrich attacks his opponent with his feet with, a series of lightning-like but terrific forward kicks. The power behind these efforts would make any Government mule die with envy, and when it is known that' the feet themselves are like ordinary railroad spikes, and, ostriches have been known to disembowel a horse, it can be imagined what chance an unharmed person would stand in a light. "Napoleon" stands nearly 10 feet high and weighs over 400 pounds. Ho is v bird of unusual intelligence, and during- the day he is violent enough for ordinary purposes. At night, however, he becomes a, true demon, and often his keeper is obliged to stand at a distance; and to see his keeper force "Napojf«oin'f back to his pen every morning with a large fork is one of the sights of the ostrich farm. The enormous bird screeches with rage and strikes out with his feet, all the while slowly giving way. A LESSON TO A NEGRO THIEF. One night those on the farm were awakened by a most terrilic series of noises. Mingled with the roars of "Napo'il.e'on" were the agonising shrieks of a human being. Rushing to the pens, the cause was soon discovered. There, careeringwildly, was a negro, and at his heels followed "Napoleon." The sight was laughable had It not been of a rather serious order. The ostrich would strike out and the negro would make a zigzag run. In the bright moonlight the negro's face was blanched white with the fear of death, and his cries for help moved even the hearts of the attendants to mercy. Finally the negro reached the fence and made an effort to get over, but the bird with a final effort struck him, and if the blow had caught the negro squarely It would undoubtedly have killed him. As It was the blow was a glancing: one upon the thigh, which ripped it open and exposed the bone, and for a time it was thought the poo/ pheasant thief would bleed to death. The fame of this episode has naturally caused the pheasants' quarters to be shunned by other depredators, but notwithstanding this fact "Napoleon" still keeps guard, and the coloured folk of the neighbourhood need not have any other lesson. History records the fact, that the natives of Abyssinia frequently ride upon ostriches, but it is not likeJy that this amusement will become very popular on the ostrich farms of America.