48. REPRODUCTION OF THE OSTRICH IN EUROPE. 
amount of food and water. Neither the male nor the female seemed 
to be disturbed by his presence. At this moment, three more young 
birds appeared, and precipitating themselves from the nest, commenced 
to peck at the food. This, as on the former occasion, was composed 
of a paste of finely chopped eggs, salad, and bread-crumbs. 
On the 24th, the male still continued to sit, and the four young 
ones walked about with the mother. About two o’clock, however, 
he arose, and then a fifth young one was discovered. The latter 
_ quickly commenced to run about, pecking here and there. During 
twenty minutes, the male ostrich walked to and fro, took food, and 
caressed his little-ones. He then returned to the nest, where the 
female had replaced him. At night, the five young ones sheltered 
themselves under his wings. 
On the 26th, at day-break, the young ostriches began to follow the 
female, who presided at a copious repast, of which she took her share. 
The male having left the nest for an instant, M. Desmeure went to 
inspect the eggs, and noticed a violent commotion in one of them. 
Knowing that this arose from the vain efforts of an imprisoned bird 
to get free, he opened the egg at the proper spot, and replaced it in 
the nest. A féw moments after the return of the male, the young 
bird appeared. More feeble than the others, it could scarcely keep 
upon its legs, and rolled about, at first, like a ball; but im the course 
of a few hours it followed its elder brethren, pecking right and left. 
From this time, the nest was pretty well abandoned. The male 
only took irregular sittings, and appeared restless and uneasy. This 
was evidently the effect of a storm, which was gathering in the 
atmosphere, and which burst upon San-Donato with extreme violence. 
Lightning-rods within a distance of about 164 yards from the estrich- 
park, were twice struck. The brood, with the parent birds, having 
sought refuge within the covered shed appropriated to them, the 
eight eggs, which remained, were taken there, and placed in a nest 
of sand that had been prepared in case of any emergency requiring 
it; but the ostriches would have nothing to do with them. From 
the moment in which the storm broke over the park, the eggs were 
definitely deserted. Five of these were well advanced towards hatch- 
ing, the rest were clear. 
This second example of the reproduction of the ostrich, although 
presenting in its details the same general features as in the first 
recorded case, offers, nevertheless, certain traits by which it may be 
