2.— THE DOMESTICATED OSTRICH IN SOUTH AFRICA, 



By J. E. Dui:ia)K\, M.Sc, Ph.D., A.R.C.S. 



(Abstkact.) 



Afttv a brief introduction it was remarked that the ostrich juust 

 ever have an interest for zoologists in South Africa, whether concerned 

 with the bird from a purely scientific point of view, or from its great 

 commercial importance. It is the largest living bird in existence, a 

 kind of "left over," as it ^\ere, from a past state of affairs. Tn it we 

 have a straightforward instance of a bird originally wild being brought 

 under a high state of domestication. We still have numbers in tlieir 

 primitive wild condition, while at the same time there are hundreds of 

 thousands subjected to farming influences. 



The production of feathers has now reached an intense degree of 

 specialisation, almost equal to that of most of the other animal or 

 vegetable products of value to man, and in connection with it are 

 many problems calling for study. We are living in an age when 

 everywhere there is a demand that the forces of science should be 

 dexoted to the solution of such problems as will assist man in the 

 better knowletlge anfl control of nature, and especially is this the 

 case in South Africa, where nature is often so wayward and there 

 are so few to diiect lier. The object of the paper is to give some 

 account of liow the ostrich industiy is carried on at the present time, 

 and t(» indicate some of the problems both of a practical and scientific 

 nature wiiich call for in\ estigation. 



Methods of Osthicif Farming. 



The paper then describerl the various methods of 'ostrich farming 

 followed in South Africa, which differ according to the nature of the 

 veld, whether capable of irrigation or not, and the nature of the farmer, 

 whether progressive or conservati\e. The fact tliat the industry is so 

 lucrative under proper management has served to stimulate tt» their 

 utmost a large proportion of the farmers of South Africa, and at the 

 present time great improvements and advances in methods are in 

 progress. Probably more than with an}' other stock, the problems 

 involved in successful ostrich management call for higli intelligence, 

 ability and experience on the part of the farmer. 



It is found that birds thrive best, are freest from diseases, and 

 gi\e the strongest and richest feathers when subjected to a variety of 

 conditions, such as was possible in their free, wild condition. The 

 combination of lucerne or rape pasturage and natural veld unquestion- 

 ably gives the best results. Variety of food and conditions is one of 

 the great secrets of successful ostrich farming, but there is still much 

 to be learnt and many improvements to be made before the manage- 



