360 REPTILES AND BIRDS. 



Ostriches led by an old male, which pretended to be lame, in order 

 to monopolise the attention of the sportsmen. 



Both the male and female birds afford one another mutual 

 assistance, as is proved by the following fact, which was related in 

 a report addressed to the Societe d'Acclimatation : — "Si-Djelloul- 

 Ben-Hamza and his brother, Si-Mohammed-Ben-Hamza, were one 

 day hunting ostriches, and came upon the tracks of a family led by 

 a male and two females. Si-Mohammed arrived first in sight of the 

 birds, and firing, wounded one of the females. The male bird at 

 once darted at him, and struck with its feet at the breast of his 

 horse, which from fright threw its rider and ran away. The ostrich 

 then turned upon Si-Mohammed, kicked him repeatedly, and did 

 not quit him until he had lost all consciousness and his brother 

 Si-Djelloul came to his assistance." 



All these facts abundantly prove that the Ostrich is not so un- 

 natural a parent as it has been thought, and at the same time give a 

 complete denial to the accusation of stupidity which has also been 

 made against it. 



In spite of its great strength — perhaps even on account of it — 

 the Ostrich, when unmolested, is the most peaceable creature in the 

 world ; and owing to its inoffensive nature, it readily becomes domes- 

 ticated. If captured young, it can be tamed in a very short time. 

 General Daumas asserts that they play with the children, and frolic 

 with the horses and dogs, &c. In the district of Sennaar they are 

 reared as we rear fowls ; they are left to wander about as they choose, 

 and one of them attempting to escape is a thing quite unheard of. 

 They accompany the herds to pasture, returning to their homes 

 at the house for meals. Kindness and caresses are sufficient to 

 attach them to any one ; but care must be taken never to strike 

 them. They have but one fault, which arises from their voracity — - 

 they are dreadful thieves, and devour everything they can steal. 

 The Arabs, knowing this, always look out when they are counting 

 their money,, otherwise the ostriches might snatch some of the coin. 



In all ages the feathers of the Ostrich have been the object of 

 considerable trade ; the birds are hunted, and reared in a domestic 

 state, not so much for their flesh, grease, or eggs, as for these 

 plumes. Each bird produces about half a pound of white feathers 

 and three pounds of black. These delicate, wavy, and flexible 

 ornaments, so sought after by the fair sex, are found on the Ostrich's 

 tail and wings; they have been used from time immemorial for 

 the adornment both of man and woman. The Roman soldiers 

 decked their helmets with them, and the Janissaries their turbans, 



