252 BIRDS OF DAMARA LAND. 



sisting of two adults, male and female, and a young 

 bird apparently about half-grown. The male bird does 

 not appear to differ from the well-known South-African 

 species, except in size, being larger ; but the greatest 

 specific difference lies with the female and the young, 

 and more especially with the former, which is jet-black 

 like the cock bird. The young is of a sooty brown, the 

 feathers, which are narrow and come to an acute point, 

 being tipped with light brown ; the tail similar, but 

 interspersed with a few grey or greyish-white feathers ; 

 the wings like the tail, but of a softer texture; the 

 thighs and neck white. The eg^ of this species is said 

 to be larger than that of the ordinary one. This bird 

 seems to be pretty commonly distributed over the 

 boundless wastes and plains of both Great Namaqua 

 and Damara Land, and herds with the common species 

 as well as in separate flocks. 



Many of the native hunters also speak of a third 

 species of Ostrich, which they characterize by some very 

 marked distinctions ; thus, for instance, I am assui-ed 

 that it has a naiTow but conspicuous bar across the 

 back or rump, and a double row of quills on each wing, 

 also that the colour is brownish grey in both sexes : 

 nevertheless I mention it here more for the purpose of 

 drawing the attention of naturalists to the subject than 

 from any personal belief in its existence as a third 

 distinct South-African species. 



In my first publication, ' Lake Ngami,' I have devoted 

 a chapter to the history of the Ostrich ; but the following 

 are devices for its capture which I have not })reviously 



