The Domesticated Ostrich la South Africa. 11 



supply of food, but it would appear that the continuous 

 practice of the eight-month system in time results in the 

 deterioration of the feather, whereas this does not follow from 

 the yearly system. 



Natural Time for Quilling. 



The time of the year at which to quill the Ostrich is a 

 matter of much concern to the farmer, for it may determine 

 whether the succeeding crop of feathers will be the best the 

 bird is capable of producing or one greatly inferior in value. 

 The nutritive condition of the bird at the time of quilling has 

 great influence upon the quality of the next crop of feathers, 

 and, where possible^ the bird should be quilled only when in 

 a highly nourished state. 



To a certain extent the feathers of a bird bear a relation to 

 its sexual condition. Among all birds it is found that the 

 plumage is at its highest degree of development at the com- 

 mencement of the mating season. The feathers of gaudily 

 coloured birds are the most perfect at this time, and moulting 

 in nature takes place at such a period as will enable the new 

 feathers to reach their highest perfection with the advent of 

 the mating season. The mating season for the Ostrich, in 

 most districts of Cape Colony, commences in the months of 

 April, May, and June. If, therefore, the time for quilling- 

 can be so arranged that the new crop of feathers will come 

 to ripeness during these mating months, the farmer can 

 reasonably expect that the plumes will be the best the bird 

 can produce. 



Special Object of Investigations. 

 Special investigations have been undertaken v/ith the 

 object of determining the cause of and a remedy for the 

 defects in Ostrich feathers technically known as "bars.'^ 

 These are imperfections in the formation of the feather across 

 any part of its length, and observation shows they are due to 

 a lack of proper development and separation of the parts 

 making up the feather. Bars vary greatly in number in 

 different plumes, and though sometimes scarcely noticeable. 



