OSTRICHES. 149 



bub knocked off, by a frightful blow. T being 



from home, I had to go and inspect the poor bird's 

 injuries — a sickening sight — and do him the only kind- 

 ness possible, that of ordering his immediate execution. 

 A couple of hours later, some of the flesh from one 

 massive thigh was simmering in my stock-pot, sending 

 forth a most delicious odour ; while both legs, joints 

 from which indeed to "cut and come again," dwarfed 

 the proportions of the Angora meat as they hung beside 

 it, high out of reach of dog or jackal, in our open-air 

 larder. For when by some untoward accident, such as 

 that just described, our birds came suddenly by their 

 death, we had the very small and melancholy consola- 

 tion of eating them. That is to say, following the 

 example of French frog-eaters, we ate the legs only ; 

 there being no meat whatever on any other part of 

 the creature's body. Instead of having a nice plump 

 breast, like that of a fowl, turkey, or any other of the 

 Carinatse or keel-breasted birds, the ostrich has a flat 

 breast-bone and large ribs shaped wonderfully like 

 those of a human being. His body is always bony ; 

 and, however well you may feed him, the nourishment 

 all seems to go to his legs. An unpleasant stringiness 

 prevents ostrich-steaks from being quite nice, but the 

 soup is perfection. I never tasted any quite equal to 

 it ; although some, made from the enormous tortoises 

 found occasionally on the veldt, came very near it in 

 goodness. The best beef-stock is not to be compared 

 with ostrich-soup ; and I imagine the latter would be 

 a most nourishing food for invalids. An ostrich which 



