KARROO SOIL, LUCERNE AND THE OSTRICH. 



127- 



Sulphur Determinations. 



Lucerne-fed birds 

 Cock, white . , 

 Femina 

 Cock, tail 

 Cock, blacks . . 



3-21 % 

 3-35 % 

 3-02 % 

 3 -OS % 



II. 



Veld-fed birds 

 Cock, White 

 Cock, white 

 Cock, white 

 Cock, blacks 



2-49 % 

 2-32 % 

 2-23 % 

 2.24 % 



Average 



3-16 



Average . 



0.-2 7 0/ 

 - 3- /o 



The principal constituent of the ostrich feather is Keratine,. 

 which can be prepared in great purity from hair, horn, nails. 

 It is of a somewhat complex composition and the formidable 

 symbol C461 H762 X^o O154 S12 is assigned to it.* The^ 

 percentage of sulphur, however, varies considerably: In 

 human hair it ranges from 3*83 per cent, to 8-23 per cent. It 

 is remarkable that six ostrich feathers analysed by Mr. 

 Stevenson do not vary in the percentage of sulphm" of feathers 

 of the same kind. Thus the feathers of the lucerne-fed bird 

 contain a larger proportion of sulphur than the feathers of the- 

 veld-fed bird. On examining the above results of analyses it 

 will be further observed that the feathers of the lucerne-fed 

 bird contain less inorganic constituents, and in these there is a 

 smaller amount of Silica than in the feathers of the veld-fed 

 bird and the wild bird. 



It is not safe to construct a theory on the basis of one 

 series of investigations only, it will be necessary to continue- 

 these investigations in order to obtain that solid, broad' 

 basis of facts on which we may safely found a theory leading. 



* Vide Bechstein, "Organic Chemistry," 3rd edition. Vol. IV., p. 1630. 



