120 THE CONDOR Vol. X 



The young chicks exhibit this movement, but are not at first anywhere near 

 as perfect as the adult birds, showing that an education is necessary to perfect that 

 which without doubt is an instinctive character. 



The manager of the Cawston Ostrich Farm informs me that their chicks, tho 

 many generations removed from the wild birds, exhibit the dance movement, but 

 very imperfectly, scarcely running any distance before squatting down, as if there 

 were dawming within them an instinct, a reflex of the narrowed horizon permitted 

 by the inclosure in which their parents have been reared. Single birds or a few 

 birds rarely make as good a performance as when there are several together, thus 

 giving proof that there is a factor of suggestion or imitation requisite to make the 

 best actors. 



That these movements are the outcome of excessive vitality or playfulness is 

 scarcely to be accepted; there must be utility if not necessity in the action. In this 

 connection I will say that I am strongly attracted to the suggestion of an esteemed 

 colleague, J. E. Duerden, of the Transvaal. Mr. Duerden states that he is of the 

 opinion that the waltz is simply a protective movement calculated to render the 

 bird less liable to be seized by any of its natural enemies that are so common in the 

 habitat of the bird. The ostrich inhabits open or bush-covered lands that are also 

 the home of the lion, the brush cat and the leopard. These animals capture their 

 prey by springing upon it. The ostrich, as was demonstrated by the case cited in 

 my opening remarks, when surprised jerks itself so quickly from side to side that 

 its pursuer finds it almost impossible to arrange its spring, or in case of a human 

 hunter, for him to aim accurately. This is the character of the defence when the 

 bird is first aroused; but let attack press more persistently and the bird darts off 

 with great rapidity for a long distance and then suddenly changes its direction of 

 flight so quickly that no sort of hunter could be prepared for it. 



Much less successful is the defence or combat of the captive, or the ostrich at 

 bay. Then the bird depends on kicking forward, hoping that with its powerful 

 foot it will down its enemy and at the same time tear open the body with the claw- 

 like nail on the one great toe. Kicking would be of little avail with the lion or 

 leopard. So the ostrich trusts to nimbleness of legs to dodge the spring, and then 

 by fleetness of foot to get away from the neighborhood. 



Alameda, California. 



THREE NESTS OF NOTE FROM NORTHERN CAEIFORNIA 



By HARRY H. SHEI.DON 



WE were camped, the two of us, on the lyagunitas Creek, close to the mouth 

 of the lyittle Carson, on the first Saturday night in May, 1907, the open- 

 ing of the trout season. It seemed but a short time after bacon and 

 coffee that our pipes went out and darkness had turned to the gray of early morn- 

 ing. An occasional thrush would give a short whistle as tho just awakening, and, 

 to further tell us the time had come to crawl from our w^arm blankets, a horned 

 owl gave a series of hoots as a farewell to his night of depredations. 



Moving briskly to keep warm we were soon thru with breakfast and wended 

 our way up the Little Carson which by noon had afforded us a nice mess of trout. 

 We then lay ourselves at the base of a hoary pine to have lunch. Up to this in- 

 stant fishing had been the main feature of the trip, but upon hearing the pleasant 



