OSTRICH. 



in the end to prove fatal *, as it can by no means digeft them. 

 Some authors fay, that the young birds are pretty good food. 



The natives catch them by following at a diftance for two or 

 three days 3 when the birds, fatigued by being perpetually har- 

 rafied, and wanting time to take food, are very eafily overtaken, 

 and knocked on the head with clubs : others conceal themfelves 

 in a fkin of one of thefe birds, and by that means approach near 

 enough to furprize them ; and it is not unufual to hunt them on 

 horfeback with dogs, and after overtaking them, the huntjman ap- 

 proaches near enough to apply the hooked end of a ftaff round 

 the legs, which throwing them down, they are knocked on the 

 head f, or taken alive. 



The ufes which the Ofirich is put to are various. The Jkins 

 are very thick, and are fubftituted for leather by the Arabians : 

 as to feathers, the value of them, and the purpofes they are put 

 to, need not be mentioned. The fat % is of medicinal ufe among 

 the Arabians, for the palfy and rheumatifm, and is alfo prefcribed 

 inwardly. The eggs ferve for driuking-cups, and other utenfils, 

 and are often fee in gold for that purpofe ; they are very hard 

 and durable, and equal in appearance to the moft beautiful 

 ivory. In the Eaft alfo, the fhells both of the Ofirich and Cajfo- 

 wary ferve as a medicine §. 



* Pitfield's Mem. p. 226. 



f I remember to have feen a painting, which reprefented this method very 

 juftly. 



J " They have a method of putting the dead body of the OJiricb in motion, 

 " in fuch a manner, as to make the fat diffolve into a kind of ail, which they 

 " fell as a drug, and is called the/at of the OJiricb." Pococ.i. Trav. i. p. 209.— 

 Thevenot, in his Voyages, mentions the fame thing. 



§ See Faun. Arab. Mater. Med. N° 6. 



Vol. III. C 



'EKIIS 



