338 NATURAL HISTORY OF AFRICA. 



hundreds at a time were scooped out, and served up as a 

 choice delicacy on the luxurious table of Heliogabalus. 



To exemplify the great strength and swiftness of thii 

 gigantic biped, we shall transcribe the following circum- 

 stance, narrated by Adanson, as having taken place at 

 Podor, a French factory on the southern bank of the river 

 Niger : — " Two ostriches which had been about two years 

 in the factory, and, although young, were nearly of their 

 full size, were so tame that two little blacks mounted both 

 together on the back of the largest : no sooner did he feel 

 their weight, than he began to run as fast as possible, and 

 carried them several times round the village, as it was im- 

 possible to stop him otherwise than by obstructing the 

 passage. This sight pleased me so much that I ordered it 

 to be repeated ; and, to try their strength, directed a full- 

 grown negro to mount the smallest, and two others the 

 largest. This burden did not seem at all disproportioned 

 to their strength. At first they went at a tolerably sharp 

 trot, but when they became heated a little, they expanded 

 their wings as though to catch the wind, and moved with 

 such fleetness that they scarcely seemed to touch the ground. 

 Most people have, one time or other, seen a partridge run, 

 and consequently must know that there is no man whatever 

 able to keep up with it ; and it is easy to imagine that if 

 this bird had a longer step, its speed would be considerably 

 augmented. The ostrich moves like the partridge, with 

 this advantage ; and I am satisfied that those I am speak- 

 ing of would have distanced the fleetest race-horses that 

 were ever bred in England : it is true they would not hold 

 out so long as a horse, but they would undoubtedly be able 

 to go over the space in less time. I have frequently beheld 

 this sight, which is capable of giving one an idea of the pro- 

 digious strength of an ostrich, and of showing what use it 

 might be of, had we but the method of breaking and ma- 

 naging it as we do a horse." 



Greatly inferior in size, but not very dissimilar in form, 

 axe the buHard tribe, of which the most recently discovered 

 African species is designated Otis Denhami by Mr. Vigors, 

 in honour of the late intrepid and accomplished traveller of 

 that name. 



We now arrive at the Grallatores, or long-legged birds, 



