228 THE OSTRICH. 



found in the neighbourhood, bear witness to the 

 vigilance as well as to the strength of the male. 

 The hatching of the young takes place successively, 

 as we shall see. Ib is pretty generally agreed that 

 the number of females is about double that of males. 

 Their size at the time of hatching is about that of 

 a small hen. It would appear that they continue 

 with their parents until they are full grown. 



X. 







relates that the ostrich is hunted in two 

 ways : 



" The ostrich is taken by running down. It de- 

 scribes in its flight an exterior circle, whilst the 

 hunters close up its route by following it in an 

 interior circle, and thus, by tiring it out, they at last 

 catch it. 



" The following manoeuvre is also employed in 

 taking it. When it has been discovered by a clever 

 man accustomed to this kind of chase, he fixes some 

 very sharp-pointed spears round the nest, in a 

 vertical position ; the steel shines, and the hunter, 

 retired to a distance, awaits in ambush the upshot of 

 the event. Meanwhile the ostrich returns from her 

 pasture full of tenderness for her young, and burning 

 with the desire to rejoin them. At first she examines 



