THE OSTRICH AND ITS KINDRED 



389 





associating together, and find- 

 ing a male ready to under- 

 take tlie office of incubation? 

 It is obvious that tliere must 

 at first be some degree of 

 association between at least 

 two females, otherwise the 

 eggs would remain scattered 

 over the wide plains, at dis- 

 tances far too great to allow 

 of the male collecting them 

 into one nest : some . . . have 

 believed that the scattered 

 eggs were deposited for the 

 young birds to feed on. This 

 can hardly be the case . . . 

 because huachos, although 

 often found addled and 

 putrid, are generally whole." 



The Ostrich 



The Ostrich is the 

 giant amongst living birds, 

 the full-grown male standing 

 some 8 feet high, and weighing 

 about 300 lbs. It is flight- 

 less, the wings being smaller, 

 in proportion to the size of the body, than in the rhea. But the energy which in other birds is 

 employed in sustaining flight in the ostrich is expended in running, so that it has reached 

 a high degree of speed — no less, in fact, than twenty-six miles an hour. When at full speed, 

 it is generally believed the ostrich derives no small help from the wings, which are used sail-wise. 

 Nor is this belief by any means a modern one, for all of us must be familiar with Job's 

 observations on this subject : " What time she lifteth up her wings on high, she scorneth 

 the horse and his rider." The wings are never used in running at full speed, but are of 

 much service in turning, " enabling the bird to double abruptly, even when going at top 

 speed." In justice to the older observers, however, it must be remarked that ostriches do run 

 with raised wings, but only at the commencement of the run, or in covering a short distance, 

 when the pace may be considerable ; but if circumstances demand " full speed ahead," they are 

 held close to the body, where they offer the least resistance to speed. 



With the gradual perfection of its running powers, there has followed a gradual change in 

 the form of the leg. This change has taken place by reduction in the number of the toes. 

 Of the original five with which its ancestors began life only two now remain — the third 

 and fourth. The third is of great size, having apparently wa.xed great at the expense of the 

 other toes, a growth which seems to be still in progress, inasmuch as the fourth toe is 

 undoubtedly dwindling. It is very small, and gives unmistakable signs of growing smaller, 

 since it has now become nailless. When it has quite disappeared, the ostrich, like the horse, 

 will have but a single toe on each foot — the third. The dainty, mincing step of the ostrich is a 

 delight to watch, and, thanks to the Zoological Gardens, this can be done. 



The ostrich, like its cousin of South America, the rhea, commonly associates with herds 

 of the larger mammalia. On the South African veldt the companions of the ostrich are the 

 zebra, wildebeest, and hartebeest, just as on the pampas of South America the rheas are 

 found associated with herds of deer and guanaco. 



OblRICH SIANDING BEblDL HLR LGCb 



In a ivild stale both cock and hen take part in the preparation oj the nest 



