The Ostrich. 



337 



VI. Grallatores, or Waders. 



THE OSTKICH. (Struthio camelus.) 



THIS bird is a native of Africa, and is so tall that when 

 it holds up its head it is seven or eight feet in height. 

 The head is very small in comparison with the body, 

 being hardly bigger than one of the toes, and is covered, 

 as well as the neck, with a kind of down, or thin-set 

 hair, instead of feathers. The sides and thighs are 

 entirely bare and flesh-coloured. The lower part of the 

 neck, where the feathers begin, is white. The wings 

 are very short in proportion to the size of the bird, and 

 in fact are too small to enable it to fly ; but when it 

 runs, which it does with a strange jumping kind of 



z 



