"The Ostrich, Although Found Only In The Desert Of Africa And
Western Asia, Was Known To The Chinese In Early Times, Since Their First
Intercourse With The Countries Of The Far West.
In the History of the Han
(T'sien Han shu, ch.
Xcvi.) it is stated that the Emperor Wu-ti, B.C.
140-186, first sent an embassy to An-si, a country of Western Asia,
which, according to the description given of it, can only be identified
with ancient Parthia, the empire of the dynasty of the Arsacides. In this
country, the Chinese chronicler records, a large bird from 8 to 9 feet high
is found, the feet, the breast, and the neck of which make it resemble the
camel. It eats barley. The name of this bird is ta ma tsio (the bird of
the great horse). It is further stated that subsequently the ruler of An-si
sent an embassy to the Chinese emperor, and brought as a present the eggs
of this great bird. In the Hou Han shu, ch. cxviii., an embassy from
An-si is mentioned again in A.D. 101. They brought as presents a lion and a
large bird. In the History of the Wei Dynasty, A.D. 386-558, where for
the first time the name of Po-sz' occurs, used to designate Persia, it is
recorded that in that country there is a large bird resembling a camel and
laying eggs of large size. It has wings and cannot fly far.
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