THE OSTRICH-FARM AT STELLINGEN 271 
Ostriches are hunted in several different ways. In So- 
maliland the common method is to use a female bird as a 
decoy. A cord several hundred yards long is tied to the 
decoy bird, and she is then taken out to the districts which 
the wild ostriches are known to frequent. On reaching the 
scene of action, the huntsman conceals himself behind a bush, 
and, holding the end of the cord in his hand, lets the female 
ostrich go free. The wild cock birds are soon attracted 
Driving an ostrich. 
towards her, and when they are together the huntsman 
gradually hauls in the cord so that the wild birds, unwitting 
of their danger, are slowly brought nearer to their mortal foe. 
Thirty or forty yards is near enough for the huntsman’s pur- 
pose. At that distance they are well within arrow range, and 
he proceeds to shoot them with a poisoned dart. The arrow 
is perfectly noiseless in its flight through the air, and the 
bird which has been struck makes little disturbance ; but after 
a short time the poison takes effect upon him and he quietly 
