64 The Ostriches 



about the vicinity of the nest which are not incubated, but are said to be used as 

 food for the young chicks. The male performs almost the entire duty of incuba- 

 tion, being occasionally relieved by the females for short periods during the 

 day, and occasionally when the sun is very hot the eggs are simply covered with 

 warm sand, though l this latter is perhaps as much for the purpose of keeping 

 marauders away as for its warmth. The eggs hatch in some six or seven weeks, 

 the chicks running about freely at birth and accompanying their parents, who 

 are very solicitous for their safety, the male often trying to draw away pursuers by 

 counterfeiting lameness or wounds. Thus Mr. Andersson describes graphically 

 a family party that he once saw near Lake Ngami, which consisted of a male, 

 female, and about twenty chicks the size of common barn-yard fowls. Finding 

 it impossible to escape, the male "at once slackened his pace and diverged some- 

 what from his course; he again increased his speed, and with wings drooping 

 so as to almost touch the ground, he hovered round us, now in wide circles and 

 then decreasing the circumference till he came almost within pistol-shot, when 

 he abruptly threw himself on the ground and struggled desperately to regain his 

 legs, like a bird that had been badly wounded; having previously fired at him, 

 I really thought he was disabled, and made quickly towards him; but this was 

 only a ruse on his part, for on my nearer approach he slowly rose and began to 

 run in an opposite direction from that of the female, who, by this time was con- 

 siderably ahead with her charge." The young Ostriches are said to be remark- 

 ably silent, but the old birds and especially the males have a hoarse, mournful 

 cry, which is likened by some to the roar of the lion, and by others to the lowing 

 of an ox. 



The omnivorous diet of the Ostrich is proverbial, though in a state of nature 

 they are perhaps not more diversified in their choice of food than many other birds. 

 They feed on herbage, seeds, fruits, berries, etc., varied with occasional insects, 

 small mammals, birds, lizards, and snakes, but in captivity they will eat almost 

 anything that can be swallowed, not infrequently taking substances that may 

 cause their death. While they are capable of existing for long periods without 

 water, they drink regularly whenever opportunity offers, and by some observers 

 they are said to be fond of bathing, especially in very hot weather, when they 

 may wade into a lake or even into the sea until only the head protrudes. They 

 are very fond of salt, a certain amount of which seems to be essential to 

 them. 



The fleetness of the Ostrich is also proverbial, it being perhaps the most 

 rapid terrestrial animal in the world. A single stride is said to approximate 

 twenty-five feet or more, and it often attains when it first sets out a speed of sixty 

 miles an hour, and can thus easily outrun the swiftest of its four-footed companions ; 

 indeed nothing would be able to overtake it were it not for its silly habit of run- 

 ning in a circle. The latter peculiarity is often taken advantage of to effect 

 their capture, the hunter on a swift horse simply riding the arc of the circle and 

 thus approaching them. Other methods of capture consist of following them with 

 fresh relays of horses or camels until they fall exhausted, in drawing a continu- 

 ally narrowing cordon about them, or in urging them into skilfully concealed 



