360 REPTILES AND BIRDS. 
Ostriches led by an old male, which pretended to be lame, in order 
to monopolise the attention of the sportsmen. 
Both the male and female birds afford one another mutual 
assistance, as is proved by the following fact, which was related in 
a report addressed to the Société d’Acclimatation :—“ Si-Djelloul- 
Ben-Hamza and his brother, Si-Mohammed-Ben-Hamza, were one 
day hunting ostriches, and came upon the tracks of a family led by 
a male and two females. Si-Mohammed arrived first in sight of the 
birds, and firing, wounded one of the females. The male bird at 
once darted at him, and struck with its feet at the breast of his 
horse, which from fright threw its rider and ran away. ‘The ostrich 
then turned upon Si-Mohammed, kicked him repeatedly, and did 
not quit him until he had lost all consciousness and his brother 
Si1-Djelloul came to his assistance.” 
All these facts abundantly prove that the Ostrich is not so un- 
natural a parent as it has been thought, and at the same time give a 
complete denial to the accusation of stupidity which has also been 
made against it. 
In spite of its great strength—-perhaps even on account of it— 
the Ostrich, when unmolested, is the most peaceable creature in the 
world ; and owing to its inoffensive nature, it readily becomes domes- 
ticated. If captured young, it can be tamed in a very short time. 
General Daumas asserts that they play with the children, and frolic 
with the horses and dogs, &c. In the district of Sennaar they are 
reared as we rear fowls ; they are left to wander about as they choose, 
and one of them attempting to escape is a thing quite unheard of. 
They accompany the herds to pasture, returning to their homes 
at the house for meals. Kindness and caresses are sufficient to 
attach them to any one; but care must be taken never to strike 
them. ‘They have but one fault, which arises from their voracity— 
they are dreadful thieves, aud devour everything they can steal. 
The Arabs, knowing this, always look out when they are counting 
their money, otherwise the ostriches might snatch some of the coin. 
In all ages the feathers of the Ostrich have been the object of 
considerable trade ; the birds are hunted, and reared in a domestic 
state, not so much for their flesh, grease, or eggs, as for these 
plumes. Each bird produces about half a pound of white feathers 
and three pounds of black. These delicate, wavy, and flexible 
ornaments, so sought after by the fair sex, are found on the Ostrich’s 
tail and wings; they have been used from time immemorial for 
the adornment both of man and woman. The Roman soldiers 
decked their helmets with them, and the Janissaries their turbans, 
