When  in  a   state  of   freedom  the   Ostrich  is   a

polygamous   bird,   sometimes    met   with   in   large

companies,  but   more   usually   in   parties   of   four

or   five — one   male    and   several   females.     Canon

Tristram   states   that    the   Ostriches   dwelling  in

the  North  African  plains   and  deserts  are  not  so

gregarious  as  those   found   farther  south.     These

bands  of  Ostriches  do  not  appear  to  roam  so  much

as   an   inexperienced   reader   might   imagine,  and

under  ordinary   circumstances   confine  themselves

to  a  radius  of  twenty  or   thirty  miles  from  their

headquarters.     They  are  excessively  shy  and  wary

birds,  never  allowing  a  strange  object  to  approach

them  very  closely,  and  when  alarmed  running  off"

at  a  tremendous  pace  into  the  wilderness.     At  full

speed   the   stride    of    an    Ostrich   measures    from
18


274         LOST  AND  VANISHING  BIRDS

twenty-two  to  twenty-eight  feet.  It  is  these
splendid  powers  of  locomotion  that  have  saved  the
Ostrich  from  complete  extermination  long  ago,  and
stand  the  bird  in  good  stead  at  the  present  time.
