CHASE OF THE OSTRICH 401 



touching to observe the anxiety the old birds evinced for the 

 safety of their progeny. Finding that we were quickly gaining 

 upon them, the male at once slackened his pace, and diverged 

 somewhat from his course ; but, seeing that we were not to be 

 diverted from our purpose, he again increased his speed, and 

 with wings drooping, so as almost to touch the ground, he 

 hovered round us, now in wide circles, and then decreasing the 

 circumference till he came almost within pistol-shot, when he 

 jibruptly threw himself on the ground and struggled desperately 

 to regain his legs, as it appeared, like a bird that had been badly 

 w ounded. Having previously fired at him, I really thought he 

 was disabled, and made quickly towards him. But this was 

 only a ruse on his part; for on my nearer approach he slowly 

 lose, and began to run in an opposite direction to that of the 

 female, who by this time was considerably ahead with her 

 charge. After about an hour's severe cha»se, we secured nine 

 of the brood; and though it consisted of about double that 

 number, we found " it necessary to be contented with what we 

 liad baffored."* 



While breeding, the ostrich likewise resorts to various artifices 

 to remove intruders from its rude nest, which is a mere cavity 

 scooped out a few inches deep in the sand and about a yard in 

 diameter. Thus Professor Thunberg relates that riding past a 

 place where a hen-ostrich sat on her nest, the bird sprang up 

 ;ind pursued him, in order to draw off his attention from her 

 young ones or her eggs. Every time the traveller turned his 

 horse toward her, she retreated ten or twelve paces, but as soon 

 as he rode on, pursued him again. Is it not truly wonderful 

 how parental affection at the approach of danger seems to rouse 

 the intelligence of an animal to higher exertions, and to raise 

 it above its usual sphere ! 



The instinct of the ostrich in providing food for its young is 

 no less remarkable, for it is now proved that this bird, far 

 from leaving its eggs, like a cold-blooded reptile, to be vivified 

 by the sun, as was formerly supposed, not only hatches them 

 with the greatest care, but even reserves a certain portion of 

 eggs to provide the young with nourishment when they first 

 burst into life : a wonderful provision, when we consider how 



* An(Jerssoii, Lake Ngajni. 

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