THE OSTRICH. 221 



tho tent. When removing, they follow the camels ; 

 there is no example of one of these thus trained ever 

 taking flight. They are very gay, they frolic with 

 the horsemen, dogs, &c. Should a hare- start up, all 

 the people are off in pursuit ; and the ostrich becomes 

 excited, and takes part in the chase. When it meets 

 a child having any food in its hand, ib quietly throws 

 the child on the ground, and tries to take away what- 

 ever it was carrying. The ostrich is a great thief, 

 or rather it wants to swallow whatever it sees. The 

 Arabs are very watchful of it when they are counting 

 their money. It would soon cause the disappearance 

 of a few dollars." 



It is by no means rare to see a tired child, at a 

 short distance from the douar, placed on the back of 

 an ostrich, which with its little load directs its steps 

 straight to the tent, the little cavalier holding on by 

 the feathers. On journeys, when it is wished to pre- 

 vent its running to right or left, a cord is passed round 

 its legs, and it is held by another cord attached to 

 this one. 



In the Senaar country, they are bred in the same 

 way as poultry is bred elsewhere. 



According to Dr. Berg, in many black villages on the 

 banks of the Senegal, and in most of the camps of the 

 Maures, on the right bank of the river, one ostrich 

 at least is counted among their indispensables. Thcso 



