STORIES ABOUT BIRDS. 109 



€li:e (Dstrirlj, 



F all birds, I believe the ostricli is tlie 

 largest. Travelers affirm, that they 

 are seen as tall as a man on horse- 

 back. The Arabians train up their best 

 and fleetest horses to hunt the ostrich. 

 As soon as the hunter comes within sight of 

 his prey, he puts his horse to a gentle gallop, 

 so as to keep the ostrich still in sight, yet not 

 so as to terrify him from the plains into the 

 mountains. Of all known animals that make 

 use of their legs in running, the ostrich is by 

 far the swiftest ; upon observing himself, there- 

 fore, pursued at a distance, he begins to run 

 at first but gently, either insensible of his dan- 

 ger, or sure of escaping. In this situation, he 

 somewhat resembles a man at full speed. His 

 wings, like two arms, keep working, with a 

 motion correspondent to that of his legs; and 



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