THE SOMALI OSTRICH 



(Struthio molybdofthanes) 



OSTRICHES, which are natives of the deserts and semi-desert plains of 

 Africa and south-western Asia, cannot possibly be mistaken for any other 

 birds, and therefore stand in no need of description, although it may 

 be as well to mention that they are the largest of living birds, and are absolutely 

 peculiar in having only two toes to each foot, as well as in the absence of feathers 

 on the thigh. It was at one time considered that the lack of the power of flight, 

 which characterises these birds in common with their relatives the rheas of 

 South America, the emu of Australia, the cassowaries of Austro-Malaya and 

 Australasia, and the tiny kiwis and rheas of New Zealand, was a primitive 

 feature. But this is manifestly an erroneous idea, and all these groups are 

 evidently descended from birds endowed with the power of flight, their nearest 

 relatives being the tinamus of South America and the game-birds, with which 

 they agree in the presence of longitudinal light stripes on the downy dress of the 

 chicks. 



Naturalists now recognise four kinds of African ostriches, which, although 

 generally classed as distinct species, might perhaps be better regarded as local 

 races of a single specific type. These, regarded as species, comprise the typical 

 red-legged and red-thighed North African ostrich {Struthio came/us), ranging 

 into Palestine and Arabia, and laying thickly pitted eggs ; the Somali ostrich 

 (S. molybdophanes), characterised by its bluish grey neck and thighs ; the Masai 

 ostrich (S. 7nasaicus) of East Africa, with the bare parts red, the body-plumage 

 of the cocks brownish black in place of black, and the eggs pitted ; and, lastly, 

 the South African 5. austraiis, which lays smooth - shelled eggs and has the 

 neck and thighs light bluish grey. In the Somali ostrich, which inhabits Somali- 

 land and western Gallaland as far as the Juba River, the colour of the bare parts 

 of the body may best be described as grey or slaty blue, while the margins of 

 the beak and the front surfaces of the lower part of the legs are dull vermilion. 



Ostriches are essentially gregarious birds, associating either in small family 

 parties comprising five or six birds, or in large flocks, which in East Africa mingle 

 freely with herds of hartebeests, gnus, and bontequaggas. They require a wide 

 extent of open country, with grass and, above all, water, of which they drink 

 frequently and copiously. Although ostriches feed chiefly upon vegetable 

 substances, they likewise consume worms, insects, molluscs, reptiles, and probably 

 also small birds and mammals, while in captivity they will swallow almost 

 anything that is offered them, including nails, keys, and copper coins. In 



