STRUTHIOUS BIRDS 273 



of Africa, from the Sahara south to the northern 



borders of Cape Colony. Whether there are three 



species of Ostrich in Africa or only one is by 



no means a settled question, nor one which need 



concern us here, beyond stating that birds from 



the south have been separated under the name of 



australis, and others from the Somali country in 



the north-east have been designated by the term 



molybdophanes. The points relied upon seem 



somewhat trivial ones. 



When in a state of freedom the Ostrich is a 



polygamous bird, sometimes met with in large 



companies, but more usually in parties of four 



or five — one male and several females. Canon 



Tristram states that the Ostriches dwelling in 



the North African plains and deserts are not so 



gregarious as those found farther south. These 



bands of Ostriches do not appear to roam so much 



as an inexperienced reader might imagine, and 



under ordinary circumstances confine themselves 



to a radius of twenty or thirty miles from their 



headquarters. They are excessively shy and wary 



birds, never allowing a strange object to approach 



them very closely, and when alarmed running off" 



at a tremendous pace into the wilderness. At full 



speed the stride of an Ostrich measures from 

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