OSTRICH 207 



The prize proved a male, and, though the blackest in 

 the troop, had hardly attained the fullest glory of maturity. 

 An ostrich, by the way, caught as a chick on the Sobat 

 and kept in captivity by our friend the Rev. D. S. Oyler 

 at the American Mission, did not acquire the full black 

 plumage till rather over two years of age. The stomach 

 of our bird contained broken bits of jointed cactus, seeds, 

 stones, and water. Though the ostrich is the biggest of 

 living birds, and one of the wariest and most keen of sight 

 to boot, yet it possesses a brain no bigger than that 

 of a crow! We dined on its flesh, which was pronounced 

 all right by those who know. 



We had seen ostriches, singly or in pairs once a 

 dozen together, including a magnificent male both on the 

 Zeraf River and along the "western bend"; but always 

 either on horizon-wide prairie or among bush that forbade 

 hope of a shot. Once, however, we threw a chance away. 

 It was in the Nuer country, and for the first time in 

 remembrance Lowe and I had landed without our rifles. 

 Instantly we sighted a pair of ostriches superb adults 

 making riverwards for their matutinal drink. Half an hour 

 was lost in sending back for the forgotten rifles. Mean- 

 while the ostriches had quenched their thirst and were 

 slowly retiring inland. There was loose forest two miles 

 away, and by a tremendous sprint and some masterly 

 manoeuvring on L.'s part, we actually succeeded in 

 cutting the game out to landward. Presently the 

 ostriches were no more than 200 yards away, the coal- 

 black cock for fleeting moments in full view among 

 scattered trees. Everything depended on instant action. 

 L. relied on me to take a quick shot with the telescope-sight. 

 Alas ! I lost one precious second mopping from my eyes 

 the flood of blinding perspiration that poured into them 

 verily 1 was the only moist spot over leagues of that 

 arid veld! and the waste of that second cost the chance. 

 Ere I could fire, the game had moved a few yards and 

 was out of sight. We followed on, but the ostriches 



