Cassowary Emu Mound-bird. 187 



caught and tamed the ostriches, and you may 

 now see in South Africa ostrich farms where 

 these birds are reared. 



49. There is an ostrich found in South Ameri- 

 ca, but it is smaller than the African ostrich. It 

 is called the RHEA. Its feathers are so much 

 less beautiful that, in place of adorning the 

 heads of our ladies, they are made into feather 

 dusters. 



50. During the day the heat of the sun aids in hatching 

 the eggs of the African ostrich, but at night the male bird 

 sits on the nest so as to protect the eggs from all assaults, 

 and if attacked by a wild animal it will kill it by a kick. 

 One of these eggs will weigh from two to three pounds, 

 and is equal to about twenty-four such eggs as you some- 

 times have for breakfast. 



51. The CAS'SO-WA-RY of Eastern Asia and the 

 E'MU of Australia resemble the ostrich very much, but 

 are not so large. They are very swift runners. The os- 

 trich when pursued runs about thirty miles an hour, and is 

 only captured by Arabs on swift horses after a chase of 

 several hours. 



52. Some eagles, hawks, and crows are so 

 cunning as to have found out that a turtle or a 

 clam, no matter how closely shut up, may be 

 opened by being carried up high into the air 

 and then let fall upon a rock. 



53. The MOUND-BIRDS, that live in Australia, are cun- 

 ning enough to have found out that fermenting vege- 

 table matter gives out heat enough to hatch eggs; so, 

 after scraping up grass and weeds in their claws, they 

 throw them together so as to make a huge heap or mound, 



