52 ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS. 



intermingled with a few others which are nearly white 

 and are barely visible except when the plumage is 

 ruffled. In the female the general colour of the feathers 

 is of a grayish or ashy-brown slightly fringed with 

 white. In both sexes the large plumes of the wings 

 and tail are beautifully white. The bill is of the 

 colour of horn, becoming blackish towards the point. 

 The iris is deep hazel. On the head and neck the 

 hairy down is clear white. In the young bird these 

 parts, as well as the muscles of the legs, are covered 

 like the rest of the body with ash-coloured feathers, 

 which fill off after the first year and are not again 

 produced. 



The character of the Ostrich, like that of other 

 granivorous birds, is extremely mild. It never makes 

 use of its great muscular power to attack, and rarely 

 even in its own defence. It generally has recourse to 

 flight, as its most effectual security against danger; 

 and were its intelligence equal to its velocity, this 

 resource would seldom fail of success. The chase of 

 these birds is accounted one of the most skilful and 

 difficult exercises both for the Arab and his horse, 

 requiring at once the most unwearied patience and the 

 most reckless impetuosity. The former is absolutely 

 necessary in order to keep them within sight and to 

 watch their motions as they wheel round in a circle 

 of greater or less extent, and the latter to seize the 

 favourable opportunity of dashing down upon them in 

 their course and disabling them, which is generally 

 effected by means of a stick thrown with dexterity 

 between their legs. A chase of this kind will frequently 

 last from eight to ten hours. When taken they evince 

 no ill humour, and after a time become in some degree 

 docile, suffering themselves to be mounted and ridden 

 like horses. M. Adanson, who had several times 



