THE CAMEL-BIRD. 183 



flight, although they help to increase its speed, when 

 running. 



The ostrich is strictly a land bird. Its breast is flat 

 like a raft, and not keel-shaped like the breast of the 

 swimming and flying birds. Its usefulness consists 

 almost wholly in the beauty and value of. its rich 

 plumes. Long before King Pharaoh of Egypt used 

 the feathers for royal ornaments, the ostrich and its gay 

 dress were known and prized. Since it has become a 

 member of the public gardens, and has been introduced 

 upon farms in California, great interest has gathered 

 about this feathered camel. 



In the wild desert plains, the bird is so shy and 

 wary that it is hunted and captured with great diffi- 

 culty. The swiftest Arab horse would never run it 

 down, were it not that the horse can endure longer than 

 the ostrich. 



The nest is scooped out in the surface of the sand, 

 and in it several birds may deposit their eggs. The 

 males do the sitting, and are more affectionate to the 

 young than are the females. During the heat of the 

 day the nest is left to the power of the sun. The egg 

 of the ostrich is about six inches long, and weighs as 

 much as twenty-four eggs of the common hen. 



On the farms in south Africa and in California, the 

 eggs are gathered daily from the nests, and are after- 

 wards hatched in artificial ovens, or incubators. The 

 Romans used something like the incubator for hatch- 

 ing. The habit which the old birds have of eating 

 stones, bits of iron and glass, pieces of leather, and 

 almost every thing that happens to be lying about, 

 seems to begin early in life. The young birds are 



