t 



BLACK OSTRICH. 429 



ground. Most people have, one time or other, 

 seen a Partridge run, and consequently must know 

 that there is no man whatever able to keep up 

 with it, and it is easy to imagine that if this bird 

 had a longer step, its speed would be considerably 

 augmented. The Ostrich moves like the Par- 

 tridge, with this advantage ; and I am satisfied 

 that those I am speaking of would have distanced 

 the fleetest racehorses that were ever bred in 

 England : it is true they would not hold out so 

 long as a horse, but they would undoubtedly be 

 able to go over the space in less time. I have 

 frequently beheld this sight, which is capable of 

 giting one an idea of the prodigious strength of 

 an Ostrich, and of shewing what use it might be 

 of had we but the method of breaking and ma- 

 naging it as we do a horse." 



In a tame state they are tractable and familiar 

 towards persons that are acquainted with them, 

 but are often fierce towards strangers, whom they 

 will attempt to push down by running furiously 

 upon them, and on succeeding in this effort, they 

 not only peck at their fallen foe with their beak, 

 but strike at him with their feet with the utmost 

 violence : when thus engaged they make a fierce 

 hissing noise, and have their throats inflated and 

 mouths open ; but at other times they have a 

 kind of cackling voice^ which they use when they 

 have disabled an adversary. During the night 

 they often utter a doleful and hideous cry, some- 

 what resembling the distant roaring of a lion, or 



