Judge — June 17, 1899 — page 16: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a six-panel comic strip titled "Bunco in the Desert" depicting a con artist's scheme involving an ostrich and a hunter. The narrative shows: a hunter encounters an ostrich (panel 1); the hunter sets a trap with eggs (panel 2); he attempts to catch the bird (panel 3); the ostrich escapes with the eggs (panel 4); the hunter pursues but is kicked by the ostrich (panel 5); finally, the ostrich triumphs while the defeated hunter lies wounded (panel 6). The humor relies on slapstick and role-reversal—the "wily hunter" becomes the foolish victim, outwitted by the ostrich. "Bunco" refers to a con game, suggesting the ostrich deliberately deceived the hunter. This appears to be straightforward comedic entertainment rather than political satire, typical of Judge magazine's humor content from 1890.