22 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Depredations Surprising s\vifties>s. 



farmers in the interior of Southern Africa; by 

 coming in flocks into their fields, and destroying 

 the ears of wheat so completely, that in a large 

 tract of land it often happens that nothing but 

 the bare straw is left behind. The body of the 

 bird is not higher than the corn; and when it 

 devours the ears, it bends down its long neck, so 

 that at a little distance it cannot be seen ; but on 

 the least noise it rears its head, and generally 

 contrives to escape before the farmer gets within 

 gun-shot of it. 



In running, the ostrich has a proud and 

 haughty look; and even when in extreme dis- 

 tress, never appears in great haste, especially if 

 the wind be favourable with it. Its wings are 

 frequently of material use in aiding its escape; 

 for when the wind blows in the direction that it 

 is pursuing, it always flaps them. In this case 

 the swiftest horse cannot overtake it : but if the 

 weather be sultry, and there is no wind, or if it 

 has lost a wing, the difficulty of outrunning it is 

 not so great. 



The ostrich is one of the few polygamous birds 

 found in a state of nature; one male being fre- 

 quently seen with two or three, and sometimes 

 with five females. It has been asserted by most 

 ancient writers, that the female, after depositing 

 her eggs in the sand, and covering them up, 

 leaves them to be hatched by the heat of the 

 sun,, and suffers the young to shift for themselves. 



