360 AFRICA'S GREATEST BIRD. 



former slave station often mentioned in Stanley's early travels. He praised 

 the missionaries for their self-sacrificing and unselfish work, and especially 

 commented upon their laudable efforts to instruct the natives in useful occu- 

 pations and teach them the domestic virtues, which so much contribute to 

 happiness and are so essential to progress. One of our illustrations shows 

 how the daughters of the savage natives are taught the art of sewing in a 

 recently established sewing school in the vicinity of Kapiti Plains. 



The former President and Sir Alfred Pease were entertained at luncheon 

 by the American missionaries. The remarkable progress made by the natives 

 who had been educated by the missionaries and their incomparable superiority 

 over their savage kinsmen, who still were roving around in the surrounding 

 woods, could not but make a deep impression on Mr. Roosevelt. He considers 

 the united efforts to Christianize the African natives now being made by all 

 Christian denominations one of the greatest civilizing agencies now at work 

 in this so long neglected continent with its teeming millions of uneducated and 

 barbarian aborigines. 



But we return to the ostrich and its interesting story. 



Ostrich farming has become an important industry in several parts of 

 Africa and Asia, and has been introduced recently into the United States and 

 is successfully carried on in Arizona and- California. I have frequently had 

 opportunities to study the habits of this bird at these farms. None of the 

 characteristics of the ostrich is as unique as the manner of hiding from a foe 

 adopted by the foolish bird. As it lives chiefly in desert-like districts where 

 the soil is sandy, it experiences little difficulty in burying its head, and this 

 subterfuge is always adopted when flight is not possible. I have often seen 

 a recently captured ostrich watch the approach of a man, and after seeking 

 to escape, it simply dropped to its knees and dug its head into the sand until 

 its eyes were covered. This attitude it would maintain for half an hour, 

 when, looking up and the man being out of sight, it would resume its 

 gambols or feeding. But when flight is possible, it escapes danger by run- 

 ning. Since it cannot run in a straight line, a man on horseback can readily 

 secure it by intercepting its course, instead of riding after it. Its speed is 

 greater than that of the fastest horse. 



I have seen a number of large ostriches, one of which measured 4 feet 

 10 inches in height at the back, and had a total length of 4 feet 3 inches. 

 Ordinary examples reach only about 3 feet 8 inches in height. 



The digestion of an ostrich is proverbial, and while in their general diet 

 these birds will eat all kinds of food, they are likewise in the habit of swallow- 



