Part 18

The natives of Africa call the Ostrich “the Camel of the desert,” just as the Latins denominated it Struthio camelus. There is, in fact, some likeness between them. This resemblance consists in the length of the neck and legs, and in the form of the toes. In some of their habits they also resemble each other; the Ostrich lies down in the same way as the Camel, by first bending the knee, then leaning forward on the fleshy part of the sternum, and letting its hinder quarters sink down last of all.

That the Ostrich is extremely voracious is certain. Although the senses of sight and hearing are so highly developed that it is said to distinguish objects six miles off, and the slightest sounds excite its ear, the senses of taste and smell are very imperfect. This is the explanation given for its readiness to swallow unedible substances. In a wild state it takes into its stomach large pebbles, to increase its digestive powers; in captivity it gorges bits of wood and metal, pieces of glass, plaster and chalk, probably with the same object.

Herbage, Insects, Molluscs, small Reptiles, and even small animals, are the principal food of the wild Ostrich; when it is in a state of domesticity even young Chickens are frequently devoured by it. It is capable of enduring hunger and thirst for many days—about the most useful faculty it could possess in the arid and burning deserts which it inhabits—but it is quite a mistake to suppose it never drinks, for it will travel immense distances in search of water when it has suffered a long deprivation, and will then drink with evident pleasure.

The muscular power of the Ostrich is truly surprising. If matured it can carry a man on its back; and is readily trained to be mounted like a Horse, and to bear a burden. The tyrant Firmius, who reigned in Egypt in the third century, was drawn about by a team of Ostriches; even now the Negroes frequently use it for riding.

When it first feels the weight of its rider, the Ostrich starts at a slow trot; it however soon gets more animated, and stretching out its wings, takes to running with such rapidity that it seems scarcely to touch the ground. To the wild animals which range the desert it offers a successful resistance by kicking, the force of which is so great that a blow in the chest is sufficient to cause death.

Man succeeds in capturing the Ostrich only by stratagem. The Arab on his swiftest courser would fail to get near if he did not by his intelligence supply the deficiency in his physical powers. “The legs of an Ostrich running at full speed,” says Dr. Livingstone, “can no more be seen than the spokes in the wheel of a vehicle drawn at a gallop.” According to the same author, the Ostrich can run about thirty miles in an hour—a speed and endurance much surpassing that of the swiftest Horse.

The Arabs, well acquainted with these facts, follow them for a day or two at a distance, without pressing too closely, yet sufficiently near to prevent them taking food. When they have thus starved and wearied the Birds, they pursue them at full speed, taking advantage of the fact, which observation has taught them, that the Ostrich never runs in a straight line, but describes a curve of greater or less extent. Availing themselves of this habit, the horsemen follow the chord of this arc, and, repeating the stratagem several times, they gradually get within reach, when, making a final dash, they rush impetuously on the harassed Birds, and beat them down with their clubs, avoiding as much as possible shedding blood, as this depreciates the value of the feathers, which are the chief inducement for their pursuit.

Some tribes attain their object by a rather singular artifice. The hunter covers himself with an Ostrich’s skin, passing his arm up the neck of the Bird so as to render the movements more natural. By the aid of this disguise, if skilfully managed, Ostriches can be approached sufficiently near to kill them.

The Arabs hunt the Ostrich with Dogs, which pursue it until it is completely worn out. In the breeding season, having sought and found out where the Ostriches lay their eggs, another artifice is to dig a hole within gunshot of the spot, in which a man, armed with a gun, can hide himself. The concealed enemy easily kills the male and female Birds in turn, as they sit on their nest. Lastly, to lie in wait for them close by water, and shoot them when they come to quench their thirst is often successful.

The Ostrich, which is an eminently sociable Bird, may sometimes be seen in flocks of 200 or 300, mixed up with droves of Zebras, Quaggas, &c. They pair about the end of Autumn.

The nest of the Ostrich is more than three feet in diameter; it is only a hole dug in the ground and surrounded by a rampart composed of sticks, etc., and a trench scratched round it outside to drain off the water. The eggs weigh from two to three pounds, one of them being more than sufficient for the breakfast of two or three people.

The Rhea or South American Ostrich bears the greatest resemblance to the African Ostrich, of which it is the representative in the New World; but it is only about half the size of the African Bird, and has three toes instead of two. The color of its plumage is a uniform grey.

This Bird (called by the Brazilians Nhandu-Guacu) inhabits the Pampas of South America, the coolest valleys in Brazil, Chili, Peru, and Magellan’s Land. There they may be seen wandering over the open plains in flocks of about thirty, in company with herds of Oxen, Horses and Sheep. They browse on the grass like Cattle, at the same time searching for various seeds. They run nearly as swiftly as the Ostrich, so are well able, by speed, to escape the pursuit of their enemies. If a river interrupts their course, they do not hesitate to plunge into it, as they are excellent swimmers; indeed, so fond are they of water that they take pleasure in splashing and bathing in it.

The Rhea lays its eggs and hatches them in the same manner as the Ostrich. They are Birds of a gentle nature, and are tamed with the greatest ease, becoming very familiar in the house, visiting the various apartments, wandering about the streets, and even into the country; but they always return to their homes before sunset.

THE SCANSORES, OR CLIMBING BIRDS.

The family to which these Birds belong takes its name from the Latin words, scandere, scansum, meaning to climb; yet, strange as it may seem, there are many birds belonging to this family that cannot climb, and there are other Birds, especially some of those belonging to the Sparrow family, that can climb and are not classified in this group.

The peculiar characteristic of all the birds found among the Scansores is the formation of their feet. The toes are in pairs, two before and two behind, which enables them to cling to the branches, and climb all about the trees. All the different Birds who have their toes arranged in this peculiar manner are included in the family of Scansores; and although some of them do not climb so readily as others, they spend the greater part of their time perched in the trees instead of flying about in the air. Their flight is medium, not being so strong as that of the Birds of Prey nor so light as that of the Sparrow family.

The climbers do not form a very large family; the most familiar are the Parrots, Cockatoos, Cuckoos, Toucans, Jamicars, Woodpeckers, etc. They live chiefly in warm countries, and feed upon fruits and insects, and the majority are noted for their brilliant colors.

THE PARROTS.

The Parrots have large, strong, round beaks, with the upper part hooked and sharp at the tip, and the under part rather deeply hollowed. The tongue is thick, fleshy and movable, and the feet are perfected to such a degree that they really become hands, able to seize, hold and retain small objects. Their toes are supplied with strong and hooked claws, which make these birds pre-eminently climbers. The Parrots walk with difficulty, and with such trouble that they rarely descend to the ground in their native homes, and only under pressing circumstances. Besides, they find all the necessaries of their existence on trees. They are not more favored with regard to their flight; and we can understand that it should be so; for, living in thick woods, they only require to make trifling changes of place, such as from one tree to another. However, some species, especially the smaller, are capable of a prolonged and effective use of their wings. According to Levaillant, some even migrate, and travel hundreds of miles every year; but this is unusual. In general, Parrots remain in the localities where they are reared.

Sociable in their dispositions, they assemble in more or less numerous bands, and make the forests re-echo with their loud cries. To some species it is such an imperative necessity to be near each other and live in common, that they have received from Naturalists the name of “inseparables.” They deposit their eggs in the hollows of trees and in the crevices of rocks. The young birds are quite naked when hatched; it is not till the end of three months that they are completely covered with feathers. The parent birds wait upon them with the greatest care, and become threatening when approached too closely by intruders.

Parrots prefer the fruits of the palm, banana, and guava trees. They may be seen perched upon one foot, using the other to bear the food to their beaks, and retain it there till eaten. After they have extracted the kernel they free it from its envelope, and swallow it in particles. They often visit plantations, and cause great devastation. In a domestic state they eat seeds, grain, bread, and even raw or cooked meat, and it is with pleasure that they receive bones to pick; they are also very partial to sugar. It is well known that bitter almonds and parsley act upon them as violent poisons. They drink and bathe frequently; in summer they show the greatest desire for plunging and splashing in water.

They climb in a peculiar manner, which has none of the abruptness displayed by other Birds of the same order. This they accomplish with slow and irregular movements, helped by their beak and feet. Like almost all birds of tropical regions, these Birds are adorned with most beautiful colors, green and red being the most prominent, with occasional markings of yellow and even blue; and some kinds of Parrots have very handsomely developed tails.

The Parrots are the favorites of the human family because of their remarkable talent of imitation. They retain and repeat words which they have heard by chance, or sentences which they have been taught, and also imitate the cries of different animals, and the sounds of musical instruments, etc. The species most remarkable for their talking and imitating are the Grey Parrot or Jaco, a native of Africa, and the Green Parrot from the West Indies and tropical America.

The Macaws—the largest of the Parrots—are recognized by their bare cheeks and long tapering tails. They inhabit South America and are arrayed in the most brilliant colors. The principal species are the Ara or Blue and Yellow Macaw.

The Parrakeets are much smaller than the Macaws, and like them, have long tapering tails, but their cheeks are feathered. What are known as the “Love-birds” are the rarest and smallest of this group. They make their home in America and Southern Africa.

What are known as the “Parrots proper” are distinguished from other groups of the same family by their short, square tails. They have feathered cheeks like the Parrakeets, and are between these and the Macaws in size. They are appreciated on account of their memory and their habit of repeating what they hear without any special teaching. These Parrots are divided into several groups, and species according to their size and color. Among them we find the Grey Parrot or Jaco, a native of the West coast of Africa, the Festive Green Parrot, and the Amazonian Parrot, which is remarkable for its power of imitating, and the richness of its green plumage.

THE COCKATOOS.

These Birds are very handsome members of the Parrot family, especially the ones that are crowned with very full tufts of feathers about the head. Some have the head entirely surmounted by a white, yellow or pink tuft, which they can raise or lower at will. Their tails are short, and their cheeks feathered. They are the largest among the race of Parrots of the old continent. They inhabit the Indies; and, although they are pretty, graceful, and very docile and caressing when tamed, they do not talk so well as some of the other Parrots.

There is one remarkable species of the Cockatoos, sometimes called the Trumpet Cockatoo, because of the formation of the tongue. This is cylindrical and terminated by a little gland slightly hollowed at the end. In eating, this Bird takes the kernels of the fruits which form its food, crushes them by the help of its jaws, then seizes the food by means of the hollow which terminates the tongue, projects the trumpet in front, and makes it pass to the palate which causes it to fall into the throat. As this peculiarity of the trumpet-like tongue has never been noticed in any other Bird, it has made this species quite as noted as the Great White Cockatoo, and Leadbeater’s Cockatoo, which have long been known as the handsomest species of this family.

THE CUCKOOS.

The Cuckoos are about the size of a Turtle Dove. They have beaks about as long as the head, slightly curved and compressed, and rather long and rounded tails, and long pointed wings. There are several kinds of Birds belonging to this group, some of which differ from the Cuckoos proper, in having short wings and long tapering tails. Among these are found the Trogons, Honey-guides, Anis or Annos, Barbets and the Touracos or Plantain-eaters. These different species belong to all the countries of the old continent.

Only one species is found in Europe—the Grey, or European Cuckoo. These are migratory Birds; they pass the warm season in Europe, and the winter in Africa, or in the warm parts of Asia.

Cuckoos are celebrated for the peculiar manner in which they raise their young. They do not build a nest, nor cover their eggs, neither do they take care of their young. They place their eggs in the nests of other Birds, such as the Lark, the Robin, the Hedge Sparrow, the Thrush, Blackbird, etc. They leave the care of hatching their eggs, and even the care of the young Birds to these strangers. Cuckoos lay eight to ten eggs in the space of a few weeks. When an egg has been laid the Bird picks it up in her beak, and carries it to the first unoccupied nest that she can find, and there deposits it when the owner of the nest is away. The next egg is placed in a neighboring nest, but never in the same as the first. The mother shows great intelligence in this, for by placing two eggs in the same nest of a smaller Bird, the greater size of her little ones would crowd the space intended by the builder, for smaller Birds of her own. And two Robins or Hedge-sparrows would be kept very busy feeding such great hungry Birds as would hatch from the Cuckoo’s eggs.

Another way in which the Mother Cuckoo shows her intelligence is her plan of breaking an egg in the nest in which hers is to be placed. If she finds one or more eggs in the nest, after she has placed hers in position she will take one of the others out, break it with her beak and scatter the shell, so that when the other Bird returns to her nest she will find the same number of eggs that she left. The Cuckoo has often been considered a very mean Bird, and a hard-hearted mother, because of this practice of imposing on other Birds, yet Naturalists excuse them by explaining that as the Cuckoo lays her eggs at considerable intervals she would find that she could not cover them and raise a family at the same time, for while some were hatching and the young Birds requiring constant attention, the other eggs would require her sitting upon them and keeping them warm for hatching later; so perhaps after all, the poor, misjudged Bird is simply following instinct without any thought of meanness.

HONEY-GUIDES OR INDICATORS.

The Honey-guides or Indicators which stand nearest to the Cuckoos in this group, take their name from their unusual habit of guiding the natives of the countries in which they are found to hives of wild honey bees. They feed on insects and are especially fond of the pupae of bees. So while the natives (who have been attracted by the cries of the Bird to the hive of the bees) are taking out the honey, the Bird remains in a tree nearby watching the process, and when the honey is all removed they approach to reap the fruits of its trouble.

ANIS AND BARBETS.

The Anis and the Barbets also belong to the group of Cuckoos. The Anis have bulky, short beaks surmounted by a sharp crest. They live in the hot regions of South America and feed upon Reptiles and Insects. The two principal species of this genus are the Razor-bill of Jamaica, and the Savannah Blackbird of America.

The Barbets owe their name to a number of straight hairs which they have upon their beak. They are massive in form, and their flight is heavy. They inhabit the warm countries of both continents, and feed upon fruits, berries and Insects. The best known of this genus is the Collared Barbet, with a distinct collar of white feathers about the throat. The Barbets have a curious habit of raising all their plumage till they look like a ball of feathers; from this peculiarity they have gained the name of Puff-birds.

TROGONS AND TURACOS.

The Trogons, like the Barbets, have the bases of their beaks covered with hair. Their soft and silky plumage glitters with the most brilliant hues, and their tails are extremely long and in some instances very beautifully formed. They are sometimes called Couroucous because of their peculiar cry or call to each other. The most remarkable species is the Resplendent Trogon, which is found both in Mexico and Brazil. The plumage of this Bird is a magnificent emerald green, frosted with gold; its breast is red, and its head is surmounted by a beautiful tuft of the green color.

The Turacos or Plantain-eaters are African Birds which closely resemble the Curassows. They live in forests and perch upon the highest branches of trees; their flight is heavy and awkward.

THE TOUCANS.

An immense beak is the first thing to attract attention to any member of the Toucan family. This group is divided into the Common Toucans and the Aracaris. The Aracari are not so large as the other Toucans, and they have a more solid beak and a longer tail. The Curl-crested Aracaris is noted for its beautiful variegated plumage.

Some of the Common Toucans also have handsome markings about the throat; but the enormous beak is their principal characteristic, and it is much the same in all the different members of the family.

It is much longer than the head, is curved at its extremity and dented at its edges. It is not so heavy to bear, and incommodes the movements of the Birds less than might be supposed, for it is formed of a spongy tissue, the numerous cells of which are filled with air. Thus it is very weak, and does not serve to break or even to bruise fruits, notwithstanding the idea one forms at first sight of its strength, for it is not even capable of breaking off the bark of trees, as certain authors have claimed. This wonderful bill encloses a still more strange tongue; very straight and as long as the beak, which is covered on each side with closely packed barbs, similar to a feather, the use of which remains to us a complete mystery. This curious instrument so struck the Naturalists of Brazil, where many Toucans are found, that it furnished them with a name. In Brazilian toucan means “feather.”

Toucans feed on fruits and insects; they live in bands of from six to ten in damp places where the palm tree flourishes, for its fruit is their favorite food. In eating they seize the fruit with the extremity of the beak, make it bounce up in the air, receive it then into the throat, and swallow it in one piece. If it is too large, and impossible to divide, they reject it. They are rarely seen on the ground, and although their flight is heavy and difficult, they perch on the branches of the highest trees, where they remain in ceaseless motion. Their call is a sort of whistle, frequently uttered.

They build their nests in holes hollowed out by Woodpeckers or other Birds. They all have very brilliant plumage, and inhabit Paraguay, Brazil and Guiana.

THE WOODPECKERS.

The Birds which comprise this group have long conical pointed beaks, and a very extensible tongue. They form two genera—the Woodpeckers and the Wry-necks.

Woodpeckers excel in the art of climbing, but they do not perform it in the same manner as the Parrots. They climb by extending their toes supplied with bent claws, upon the trunk of a tree and maintain themselves hanging there. Then they move themselves a little further by a sudden and jerked skip, and so on. They are helped in these movements by the disposition of the tail, formed of straight resistant feathers, slightly worn away at the ends, which pressed against a tree serve as a support to the Bird. By means of these peculiarities in their feet and tail feathers, the Woodpeckers traverse the trees in every direction—upwards, downwards or horizontally.

Woodpeckers are of a timid, restless disposition; they live alone in the midst or on the borders of large forests.

Insects and their larvae form their nourishment, which they seek in the trunks and clefts of trees. Their tongue is wonderfully suited for this purpose. It is very long, and, by a peculiar mechanism, can be projected out far enough to reach objects three or four inches away. The beak is terminated by a horny point bristling with small hooks. In many species it is overlaid with a sticky substance secreted by two glands, the effect of which is to catch the insects which it touches. Whenever the Bird darts this tongue into the crevices, it draws it out more or less laden with insects. If it perceives an insect that it cannot reach by means of this organ, it uses its strong beak; striking the tree with redoubled blows, it cuts the bark, breaks an opening, and seizes the coveted prey.

It often also taps with its beak to sound a tree, and assure itself that there is no recess in the interior which would serve as a refuge for its prey. If the trunk is hollow, it examines all parts to find an entrance to the cavity. When it has discovered it, it introduces its tongue; and if the canal is not large enough to permit it to explore the hiding place with success, it increases the size of the aperture. It is not only to seek for food that Woodpeckers make holes in trees, but also to form secure hiding places for their nests. Some species, it is true, select the openings which they find, but others hollow out their nesting places according to their tastes. When such is the case, they select soft-wood trees, such as willow, aspen, etc. The cavity which they bore to where the nest is placed is generally so oblique and so deep that perfect darkness surrounds them. This is doubtless a measure of security against small Mammals, especially the rodents, the natural enemies of their family. The mother deposits her eggs upon a bed of moss or the dust of worm-eaten wood. The young Birds grow slowly, and receive for a long time the care of their parents.