74 Rev. H. B. Tristram on the 



corn or dates from the nosebag. If any spirited colt or grum- 

 bling camel showed an inclination to resist, a side kick in the 

 ribs very soon brought him to submission. To strange horses 

 they exhibited a decided aversion, and would walk quietly along- 

 side one, and then suddenly strike out with one leg at right 

 angles to their bodies, — a most clumsy-looking but a very 

 effective mode of attack. I remember seeing another, appa- 

 rently public property, in the market of Tamerna, who would go 

 round and levy willing contributions from the venders of dates 

 and barley, and who slept at night (1 suppose I must not say 

 roosted) in the open square. But he presented a very beggarly 

 appearance ; for, in return for the alms he received, he had 

 yielded to his caterers every feather in his body. 



Once, and once only, had I the good fortune to take an 

 Ostrich's nest ; though fresh eggs were frequently brought in 

 by the Arabs. There is something irresistible to the Nomad 

 in the charm of an Ostrich -chase; and, often as our exhausted 

 horses had suffered from the vain pursuit, it was almost impos- 

 sible to hold in our servants, when the alarm was given, from 

 wildly galloping over the plain. On this occasion, however, we 

 had observed with our telescopes two birds standing for some 

 time in one spot, and were induced to ride towards them. By 

 great good fortune we detected their track as we crossed it ; for, 

 the stride of the Ostrich often measuring, when at full speed, 

 from 23 to 28 feet, and there being simply the round impression 

 of his two toes, it is very difficult to discover its course. We 

 traced these steps back to the spot where we had seen the 

 birds standing, and where the sand was well trodden down. 

 Two Arabs at once dismounting began to dig with their hands, 

 and presently brought up four fine fresh eggs from a depth of 

 about a foot under the warm sand. I may remark that the egg 

 of the North African Ostrich seems to differ decidedly from that 

 of the Cape bird. I have seen hundreds of specimens, and 

 always found them rather larger than the southern eggs which 

 we generally see in England, and quite smooth, with an ivory- 

 polished surface and free froDi any punctures. Until I found 

 the eggs myself, I was under the impression that they might be 

 polished by the Arabs ; but this is a mistake. The eggs are 



