46 THE OSTRICH. 



any animal could digest such an overcharge of 

 nourishment. Valisnieri also found the first sto- 

 mach filled with a quantity of incongruous sub- 

 stances ; grass, nuts, cords, stones, glass, brass, 

 copper, iron, tin, lead, and wood ; a piece of 

 stone was found among the rest that weighed 

 more than a pound. He saw one of these animals 

 that was killed by devouring a quantity of quick- 

 lime. It would seem that the ostrich is obliged 

 to fill up the great capacity of its stomach in 

 order to be at ease ; but that nutritious sub- 

 stances not occurring, it pours in whatever offers 

 to supply the void. 



In their native deserts, however, it is probable 

 they live chiefly upon vegetables, where they lead 

 an inoffensive and social life ; the male, as The- 

 venot assures us, assorting with the female with 

 connubial fidelity. They are said to be very 

 much inclined to venery ; and the make of the 

 parts in both sexes seems to confirm the report. 

 It is probable also they copulate, like other birds, 

 by compression ; and they lay very large eggs, 

 some of them being above five inches in diameter, 

 and weighing above fifteen pounds. These eggs 

 have a very hard shell, somewhat resembling 

 those of the crocodile, except that those of the 

 latter are less and rounder. 



The season for laying depends on the climate 

 where the animal is bred. In the northern parts 

 of Africa, this season is about the beginning of 

 July ; in the south, it is about the latter end of 

 December. These birds are very prolific, and 

 lay generally from forty to fifty eggs at one clutch. 



