THE OSTRICH. 187 



formed into one dish. The fat of the ostrich is held in 

 high estimation, and, when used as an emollient, has 

 performed wonderful cures ; the shell also, when pow- 

 dered and taken inwardly, has been said to produce 

 astonishing effects. 



The Arabians train up their best and fleetest horses 

 for the purpose of hunting the ostrich, and though it 

 is allowed to be a very laborious, yet it is thought a 

 very entertaining amusement. Of all creatures that 

 make use of their legs, the ostrich has the character 

 of being the fleetest ; his wings, as well as his legs, 

 keep in motion like two oars to waft him along ; and 

 did he keep forward in a direct line, instead of a cir- 

 cular chase, he would find no difficulty in outstripping 

 his pursuers. When the poor animal is completely 

 exhausted, he darts his head down into the sand, as if 

 he thought that by burying his head the rest of his 

 body of course must be concealed. 



The inhabitants of Dara and Lybia are said to breed 

 whole flocks of these birds, which they tame with very 

 little difficulty, and convert them to domestic use: for 

 Adamson asserts, that, at the factory of Podore, he saw 

 an ostrich, with two negroes upon its back, that ran 

 swifter than any racer he had ever seen. 



THE EMU. 



The emu is a native of the new continent, and is by 

 some termed the American ostrich ; and in magnitude 

 it doubtless ranks next that bird, as it generally mea- 

 sures six feet higlr from the head to the ground : the 

 legs arc about three feet long, and the thigh as thick 

 as that of a man's : the neck is long, the head small, 

 ai4d the bill flatted like that of an ostrich, but in all 

 other respects it resembles the cassowary. The form 

 of the body appears round, the wings are short and 



