234 THE OSTRICH. 



fallen. They are furnished on this occasion with guns 

 and an abundant supply of ammunition. When they 

 have discovered traces of the ostrich, the hunters 

 examine them carefully ; if they cross to and fro, and 

 the grass is trampled under foot and not eaten, the 

 bird has for certain made its nest in the neighbour- 

 hood. 



In the morning, whilst the female is sitting, the 

 hunters dig a hole on each side of the nest, and at 

 twenty yards' distance, sufficiently deep to contain a 

 man ; they then cover it up with the long grass, so 

 well known in the desert, in such a manner that the 

 gun only shall appear: in these holes two of the 

 best marksmen are lodged. 



At the sight of this work the frightened female runs 

 to rejoin the male, but he beats her and forces her to 

 return to her nest. If these preparations were made 

 whilst the male is sitting, he would go off in search 

 of the female, and neither of them would be met 

 with again. 



They are careful not to disturb the returned female, 

 the rule being to kill the male first ; they therefore 

 wait his return from pasture. Towards midday he 

 arrives, and the hunter makes ready. The ostrich 

 when sitting extends its wings in such a manner as to 

 cover all the eggs; in this position it has bent up its 

 extremely long legs under its thighs, a very favourable 



