Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 1 (1897).djvu/134

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The Ostrich feeds in a peculiar manner. It tosses the food into a sack in the upper part of the neck, and then swallows it. I have seen a bird toss fully a quart of mealies (Indian corn) into this sack before swallowing; and it is no uncommon thing to see two "swallows" travelling down the neck at the same time with a clear interval between them; or to see one of them (if of large and loose food, e.g. grain) slide back into the sack after being swallowed, if the bird lowers its head to continue feeding before the food has travelled some considerable distance down the neck. The food travels slowly, and performs a complete circuit of the neck before reaching the crop. Crushed bones are greedily eaten; if too large a piece should stick in the neck, it is a simple matter to cut it out and sew the wound up again. The wound, as a rule, heals quickly, and causes but little inconvenience.

As is well known, Ostriches will swallow almost anything small enough to pass down the neck. I have either known them swallow, or have heard of them swallowing, and on evidence which I believe, such things as oranges, small tortoises, fowl and turkey chickens, and kittens! I found a cock in my dining-room on one occasion rapidly demolishing, one after another, the contents of a box of luscious peaches. Some friends were playing tennis with only one ball. A rather vigorous drive sent it beyond the tennis-ground, close to an Ostrich hen; she at once swallowed it with evident relish, and brought the game to a sudden end! A cock swallowed several yards of fencing-wire in short pieces, and about half a dozen brass cartridges. These were found in his crop, and had killed him. He had followed the fencers, swallowing the ends of the wires as filed off! An Ostrich's crop always contains a large quantity of smooth stones, many of them brightly coloured.

Considerable misconception prevails as to the manner in which the Ostrich runs. It seems to be still generally held that, when running, it spreads out its wings, and, aided by them, skims lightly over the ground. This is not correct.

Y/hen a bird really settles itself to run it holds its head lower than usual, and a little forward, with a deep loop in the