United States or Saint Pierre and Miquelon ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
When we were at Bahia Blanca in the months of September and October, the eggs, in extraordinary numbers, were found all over the country. They lie either scattered and single, in which case they are never hatched, and are called by the Spaniards huachos; or they are collected together into a shallow excavation, which forms the nest.
This can hardly be the case in America, because the huachos, although often found addled and putrid, are generally whole. When at the Rio Negro in Northern Patagonia, I repeatedly heard the Gauchos talking of a very rare bird which they called Avestruz Petise. They said its colour was dark and mottled, and that its legs were shorter, and feathered lower down than those of the common ostrich.
They lie either scattered and single, in which case they are never hatched, and are called by the Spaniards huachos; or they are collected together into a shallow excavation, which forms the nest. Out of the four nests which I saw, three contained twenty-two eggs each, and the fourth twenty-seven.
I have before mentioned the great numbers of huachos, or deserted eggs; so that in one day's hunting twenty were found in this state. It appears odd that so many should be wasted. Does it not arise from the difficulty of several females associating together, and finding a male ready to undertake the office of incubation?
In one day's hunting on horseback sixty-four eggs were found; forty-four of these were in two nests, and the remaining twenty, scattered huachos. The Gauchos unanimously affirm, and there is no reason to doubt their statement, that the male bird alone hatches the eggs, and for some time afterwards accompanies the young.
Out of the four nests which I saw, three contained twenty-two eggs each, and the fourth twenty-seven. In one day's hunting on horseback sixty-four eggs were found; forty-four of these were in two nests, and the remaining twenty, scattered huachos.
What this is for I cannot myself tell; though I've heard some gauchos say that these stray eggs huachos we call them are laid here and there for the young birds to feed upon. But that can't be so, since the huachos are never found pecked or broken, but always whole, whether they be fresh or addled.
This can hardly be the case in America, because the huachos, although often found addled and putrid, are generally whole. When at the Rio Negro in Northern Patagonia, I repeatedly heard the Gauchos talking of a very rare bird which they called Avestruz Petise. They said its colour was dark and mottled, and that its legs were shorter, and feathered lower down than those of the common ostrich.
Word Of The Day