BIRDS. 285 
female Ostrich sits upon her eggs like other hirds, and 
brings up her young. The eggs are as large as a young 
child's head, with a hard stony shell : and one has been 
known to weigh upwards of three pounds. The time of 
incubation is six weeks. That Ostriches have great affec- 
tion for their offspring, may be inferred from the assertion 
of Professor Tliunberg, that he once rode past the place 
where a hen Ostrich was sitting in her nest; when the 
bird sprang up and pursued him, evidently with a view to 
prevent his noticing her eggs or young. Every time he 
turned his horse towards her, she retreated ten or twelve 
paces ; but as soon as he rode on again, she pursued him, 
till he had got to a considerable distance from the place 
where he had started her. In the tropical regions, some 
persons breed Ostriches in flocks ; for they may be tamed 
with very little trouble ; and in their domestic state, few ani- 
mals may be rendered more useful. When M. Adanson 
was at Podar, a French factory on the southern bank of 
the river Niger, two young but full-grown Ostriches, be- 
longing to the factory, afforded him a very amusing sight. 
They were so tame that two little blacks mounted both 
together on the back of the largest. No sooner did he feel 
their weight, than he began to run as fast as possible, and 
carried them several times round the village ; and it was 
impossible to stop him otherwise than by obstructing the 
passage. This sight pleased M. Adanson so much, that 
he wished it to be repeated ; and to try their strength, he 
directed a full-grown negro to mount the smaller, and 
two others the larger of the birds. This burden did not 
seem at all disproportioned. to their strength. At first, 
they went at a tolerably sharp trot ; but when they be- 
came heated a little, they expanded their wings, as though 
to catch the wind, and moved with such fleetness that they 
scarcely seemed to touch the ground. The foot of the Os- 
trich has only two toes ; one of which is extremely large 
and strong to make its way through the moving sands of 
