LESSON 35 The ostrich

第三十五课 鸵鸟

The humming-bird is the smallest and the ostrich the largest of birds. There are humming-birds no larger than bees, while the ostrich is often ten feet in height, from the crown of the head to the ground.

鸵鸟是最小的鸟类，鸵鸟是最大的鸟类。有的蜂鸟还没有蜜蜂大小，鸵鸟从头顶到脚底却有十英尺高。

The home of the ostrich is in the sandy deserts of Africa and Arabia. Among the Arabs, it is called the camel bird, from the form of its neck and body. Like the camel, it dwells in the desert, and can live a long time without water.

鸵鸟生活在非洲和阿拉伯的沙漠。由于长相，阿拉伯人把鸵鸟称为“像骆驼一样的鸟”，像骆驼一样，鸵鸟居住在沙漠，长时间缺水也能生存。

Though the ostrich has wings, they are too small for it to fly with; but in running, it uses them like paddles. Spreading them out, and flapping them in the air, it runs along with great speed. The swiftest horse cannot keep up with it! As is said in the Bible, "She lifteth up herself on high, she scorneth the horse and his rider."

虽然鸵鸟有翅膀，但是太小，不足以让它飞起来；但是跑起来时，它的翅膀就像桨。伸展开翅膀，在空中摆动几下，鸵鸟跑起来就能健步如飞。最快的马也追不上！就像《圣经》里记载：“它把自己高高举起，嘲笑马得缓慢。”

The nest of the ostrich is simply a hole in the sand; and there the female bird lays ten or twelve large eggs. She watches her nest very closely, always sitting on her eggs at night, and leaving them only during the hottest part of the day.

鸵鸟的洞穴就是简单的在沙子里挖个洞；雌性鸵鸟会在洞里埋上十到十二个大鸵鸟蛋。它密切注视着它的洞穴，晚上坐在鸵鸟蛋上，只有在一天中最热的时候才会离开。

The eggs are prepared for food in various ways; and some people are very fond of them. The shells also are made into cups and ornaments of different kinds.

鸵鸟蛋有许多不同的吃法；是有些人的挚爱。他们把蛋壳做成形状各异的杯子和饰物。

The ostrich is often hunted on horseback; but so rapid is its flight, that the hunters would seldom succeed in catching it, if they did not know that it never runs in an even course, but zig-zag. So they let it go winding and doubling about, while they themselves push straight forward, thus saving time and keeping up with it.

猎人们骑着马去猎杀鸵鸟；但是如果他们不知道鸵鸟从不走直线而是走之字形路线这一诀窍，很少能打到健步如飞的鸵鸟。所以猎人们会让鸵鸟走曲线并让它折返，那样鸵鸟就会自己沿着直线跑，既可以节省时间，也不会跟丢猎物。

The chase sometimes lasts two or three days, till the poor bird is tired out; for though swift, it is not so strong as a horse.

有时候要花上两三天去追捕一只鸵鸟，直到可怜的猎物筋疲力尽；这样，尽管它们还是很敏捷，但已经比不上马得速度。