256 



THE OSTRICH. 



The northwest wind often commences to blow light from northeast and 

 north ; and in this month the wind from northwest is much fresher 

 than it is in June. They come back as though showing some temper 

 at the manner in which the southeast winds crowd up. While the 

 northwest winds blow, the thermometer ranges at 76° in the morning,' 

 and 82° in the afternoon. The northeast winds are warmer than the 

 northwest winds, both being dry winds. During the southeast winds 

 the thermometer sometimes stands as low as 62° at 9 a. m., and 67° at 

 3 p. m. The southwest breezes are generally a little warmer than the 

 southeaster, with lightning flashing among them — both wet winds. 

 After a fresh wind from southeast, we may expect one from northwest; 

 this wind appears very fighty at times. 



In August the northwest current often increases to a gale in the 

 struggle with its opponent, and the thermometer rises as high as 80° in 

 the morning, and 90° at 3 p. m. When the wind from the southeast 

 gets the upper hand, it knocks down the thermometer as low as 13° 

 at 9 a. m., and 81° in the afternoon. 



These winds sometimes blow for three days from the southeast, and 

 then exactly three days back from the northwest. . This is so frequently 

 the case that the inhabitants say that, when it commences from either 

 point, they expect the same wind for three days. On several occasions 

 we were struck with this phenomenon, and whenever the Sundays 

 happened to be calm days, the fact reminded us of the commandment 

 for periodical rest. 



Mojos invites the zoologist. The different habits of the bird kind, 

 from the ostrich to the most delicately shaped humming-bird, are ot>- 

 served with great interest. The ostrich lays its eggs in the thick grass 

 on the dry plain ; two eggs fill a man's hat, and weigh as much as two 

 pounds each. The ostrich lays a great number, spread out in the nest 

 over so wide a space that it is very certain one bird cannot cover them 

 all sitting, even by spreading all their feathers over them. Yet the 

 eggs are all broken when the hatching is over, and the young have left 

 the nest. The ostrich is so wild, it is difficult to become well acquainted 

 with its habits. The number of young that appear upon the plain do 

 not compare with the number of egg shells found ; some suppose the 

 ostrich lays one egg for the purpose of producing, and another to feed 

 with. The young grow very rapidly, stepping out of the eggs ; their 

 legs are enormous, compared with other parts of their system. 



When the ostrich is going at full speed across the plain, his head is 

 held erect, like the smoke-pipe of a locomotive ; his body resembles the 

 boiler, and beautiful rich feathers, which start up straight, flutter behind. 



