260 FACULTIES OF BIRDS. 



caught by the hand ; it often stops short and squats 

 down ; the dog, pushing eagerly forward, overshoots 

 the spot, and loses the trace ; the bird, it is said, 

 profits by its blunder, and runs back on its path ; 

 nor does it spring till driven to the last extremity, 

 and then it rises to a good height before it stretches 

 onward. It flies heavily, and never to a great dis- 

 tance. It is usually seen to alight, but in vain 

 should we search for it; before the fowler has 

 reached the spot, the bird has tripped off more than 

 a hundred paces. The fleetness of its feet compen- 

 sates for the tardiness of its wings : all its little ex- 

 cursions, its windings, and its doublings in the field 

 and meadows, are performed by running."* 



The bird, however, most celebrated for fleetness 

 of running is the ostrich, or bird-camel (Struthio 

 Camelus), as it may well be named. " What time 

 she lifteth up herself on high," says Job, "she 

 scorneth the horse and his rider."f According to 

 Dr. Shaw, the wings serve her both for t sails "and 

 oars, while her feet, which have only two toes, 

 and are not unlike the camel's, can bear great fa- 

 tigue. M. Montbeillard, however, is of opinion 

 that it does not spread its wings and tail-feathers 

 with the view of assisting its motion, but from the 

 common effect of the corresponding muscles, as a 

 man in swimming throws out his arms. Though 

 the ostrich is universally admitted to run faster than 

 the fleetest horse, yet the Arabs contrive to run 

 these birds down on horseback, their feathers being 

 valuable, and their flesh not to be despised. The 

 best and fleetest horses are trained for this chase. 

 When the hunter has started his game, he puts his 

 horse upon a gentle gallop, so as to keep the ostrich 

 in sight, without coming too near to alarm it and 

 put it to its full speed. Upon observing itself pur- 

 sued, therefore, it begins to run at first but gently, 



* Oiseaux, Art. Le Rale de Genet, 

 t Job xxxiv., 18. 



