42 THE NATURAL HISTORY. 
- that a racehorfe could: not have Kept pace with . 
them. 
Though the Oftrich runs fatter than a horfe, 
yet horfes are ufed to hunt them down ; but this. ; 
~ muft be done with fome contrivance. The Ara= 
bians firft follow them gently; they never lofe 
fight of the Oftriches, or fuffer them to take food : 
indeed this is not very difficult, for they feldom .. 
fly ftraight forwards, but generally run round in. 
a circle, The Arabians, by going in a ftill 
fmaller circle within, fatigue. themfelves much. 
lefs; and when the Oftrich is quite tired, they 
take that opportunity to gallop immediately to- 
wards it, and if they can, to drive it againit the: 
- wind: then they kill the Oftrich with {ticks,: that: 4 
they may not fpoil the beautiful white of their. 
feathers with their blood. s 
Some have faid, that when the Ofttich i is Heed a 
it hides its head, and fancies, becaufe it does not. 
fee the hunters, that the hunters cannot fee it. 
The people who eat Oftriches have another me-- 
thod of taking them; they cover themfelves. 
with the fkin of an Oftrich, and put one arm into. 
the neck ; then they. imitate the motion of the: 
Oftrich, of fo thofe birds fulfer them. ta. come: 
neat, atid take them. 
{ la > 
Bee , 
Se ee a 
