Mr. H. Seebolim on the Birds of Natal ^c. 349 



anything but enjoy his abundance; in times of adversity 

 there is little or nothing that he can do to ward off im- 

 pending ruin. Therefore he becomes a fatalist^ stolid indo- 

 lence being the prevailing feature in his character : his 

 motto is never to do anything to-day that can possibly 

 be done to-morrow. He grows a few vegetables round his 

 homestead, just as much as he can water from his well, 

 if need be. That life under such circumstances should be 

 deemed to be worth living is almost inconceivable. How 

 bitter must have been the hate of English misrule that in- 

 duced the stolid Boer to trek away to such a desolate 

 country ! 



But, dreary as it looks, the Karroo is by no means destitute 

 of bird-life. Larks and Pipits abound on the open plain, 

 and near the houses a large Sand Martin, Cotyle fuligula, is 

 common. Bustards and Coursers of various species are still 

 found, but the Karroo bird par excellence, the Ostrich, has 

 been practically exterminated, except as a domesticated 

 species. 



Ostrich-farming has had many vicissitudes. The price of 

 a pair of birds, when the rage for Ostrich-farming reached 

 its culminating point, went up to £250, but has now fallen 

 as low as £10. Each bird produces a crop of feathers every 

 July or August. At the highest price the crop sold for about 

 £17, now it only averages about £2 10*. ; nevertheless, I was 

 informed that, with good management. Ostrich-farming still 

 pays well. The feathers are cut, and the stumps pulled out 

 a few weeks afterwards, when the operation can be performed 

 without pain or injury to the bird. There are several in- 

 teresting points in the domestic economy of the Ostrich. It 

 is doubtful whether these birds are polygamous in the wild 

 state ; and in their semi-domesticated condition on the South- 

 African farms, polygamy is said to be the exception, and not 

 the rule. Artificial incubators are now very rarely used. 

 Ostriches thrive best when they are allowed to do as they 

 like. The larger the run, the better for the birds. They 

 quarrel much less with each other, and they can the better 

 select the particular kind of grasses which they require to 



