THE OSTRICH. 389 



Both the male and female birds afford one another mutual 

 assistance, as is proved by the following fact, which was related in 

 a report addressed to the Societe d'Acclimatation : "Si-Djelloul- 

 Ben-Hamza and his brother, Si-Mohammed-Ben-Hamza, were 

 one day hunting Ostriches, and came upon the tracks of a 

 family led by a male and two females. Si-Mohammed arrived 

 first in sight of the birds, and firing, wounded one of the females. 

 The male bird at once darted at him, and struck with its feet at 

 the breast of his horse, which from fright threw its rider and ran 

 away. The Ostrich then turned upon Si-Mohammed, kicked 

 him repeatedly, and did not quit him until he had lost all 

 consciousness, and his brother Si-Djelloul had come to his assist- 

 ance." 



All these facts abundantly prove that the Ostrich is not so un- 

 natural a parent as it has been thought, and at the same time 

 give a complete denial to the accusation of stupidity which has also 

 been made. 



In spite of its great strength perhaps even on account of it 

 the Ostrich, when unmolested, is the most peaceable creature in 

 the world ; and owing to its inoffensive nature, it readily becomes 

 domesticated. If captured young, it can be tamed in a very short 

 time. General Daumas asserts that they play with the children, 

 and frolic with the horses and dogs, &c. In the district of 

 Sennaar they are reared as we do Fowls ; they are left to wander 

 about as they choose, and one of them attempting to escape is a 

 thing quite unheard of. They accompany the herds to pasture, 

 and return again to their home at meal-times. Kindness and 

 caresses are sufficient to attach them to any one ; but care must 

 be taken never to strike them. They have but one fault, which 

 arises from their voracity, they are dreadful thieves, and devour 

 everything they can steal. The Arabs, therefore, always look out 

 when they are counting their money, otherwise the Ostriches 

 might snatch some of the coin. 



In all ages the feathers of the Ostrich have been the object of 

 considerable trade : the birds are hunted and reared in a domestic 

 state, not so much for their flesh, grease, or eggs, as for these 

 plumes. Each bird produces about half a pound of white feathers 

 and three pounds of black. These delicate, wavy, and flexible 



