4 THE WONDERS OF THE ANIMAL KINGDOM. 



may crush them, or'that the wild beast may break them. She is hardened against her young ones, as 

 though they were not hers ; her labour is in vain without fear, because God has deprived her of 

 wisdom, neither has he imparted to her understanding." 



From the concurrent testimony, however, of recent travellers, the stigma of the want of affection for 

 its young does not attach to the ostrich ; for we are assured by Kolben, Vaillant, Barrow, and others, 

 that, so far from being callous towards her offspring, there is no bird which watches over her eggs 

 with greater assiduity. In regard to the number of eggs laid by the ostrich, a manifest error pre- 

 vails, as it is generally believed that the female lays sixty or seventy at a time ; but it has been 

 decided by Kolben that all the females attached to one male lay their eggs in one nest, and it has 

 been confirmed by Vaillant that they also relieve each other in the task of incubation ; for he says that 

 he once found a female ostrich on a nest containing thirty-two eggs ; he remained near the place for some 

 time, and saw three other females come and alternately seat themselves on the nest, each sitting for about 

 a quarter of an hour, and then giving place to another, who, while waiting, sat close by the side of her 

 whom she was to succeed. The same intelligent traveller informs us that he never found an ostrich 

 nest, without also finding eggs deposited on the outside of it, which are designed for the nourishment 

 of the future young. Mr. Barrow states that a number of small oval-shaped pebbles, about the size 

 of a marrow-fat pea, are often found in the interior of the egg ; the colour of the pebbles is a pale 

 yellow, and exceedingly hard. He once saw nine, and at another time twelve of these pebbles in one 

 egg. The ostrich is gifted with an uncommon memory in regard to the position in which she leaves 

 her eggs ; and if, in the interval, any person touches them, the bird not only desists from laying any 

 more in the same nest, but in the fulness of her indignation, she tramples every egg in the nest to 

 pieces with her feet. 



In regard to the character of the ostrich, they are tamed with very little trouble in their native 

 country, and in their domesticated state, few animals may be rendered more useful. In their carriage 

 towards those who are acquainted with them, they are highly tractable and familiar, but towards 

 strangers they often evince an extraordinary fierceness. Their method of attack is to run furiously 

 upon their opponent and to push him down, and having laid him prostrate, they peck at him with their 

 beaks, or strike him violently with their feet ; and when they think that they have overcome their 

 adversary, they stand in triumph over him, making a kind of cackling noise : at night, they often 

 send forth a doleful, hideous cry resembling the hoarse tone of a bear. 



The Female Ostrich which is designated in our engraving was brought with the male from the coast 

 of Barbary, and presented to his Majesty, who sent them to North Cray to enrich the collection of the 

 late Marchioness of Londonderry. It is one of the most perfect birds of the species now in this 

 country, but the male appears rather in a distorted shape, owing to the following circumstance : It was 

 one day rambling the beautiful grounds which surround the mansion of the late Marchioness, when a 

 playful lama suddenly sprung up and kicked the ostrich in the neck. From this arose a violent swelling, 

 but still great hopes were entertained that the bird would not sustain any permanent injury. One night, 

 however, a fox stole into the premises and seized the unfortunate bird by the wounded part of the neck, 

 which put an end to all hope of a radical cure, and the bird now carries his neck and head in a 

 crooked posture. In other respects it is as perfect as the female. It was the subject of exultation of 

 the late Marquess of Londonderry that he was the only person at the coronation of George IV., who 

 wore a plume of feathers from his own ostriches. 



