791 
ORDER RATITA. 
Fam. STRUTHIONIDZA. 
771. SrRUTHIO AUSTRALIS, Gurney. Southern Ostrich. 
It is beyond the limits of the present work to enter largely into 
the natural history of the Ostriches, since that bird has been so 
freely domesticated in Southern Africa. The subject is fully treated 
by Messrs. Harting and Mosenthal in their interesting work on 
“‘ Ostriches and Ostrich-farming,” to which the latter has contri- 
buted an excellent account of the domestication of the bird. Since 
then another practical work on the subject has been published by 
Mr. J. W. Douglas. We would, however, remind our readers that 
the range of the wild Ostriches in South Africa is still a subject of 
much interest, and that the question of the number of species in 
the northern regions of South Africa still remains unsettled. Mr. 
Andersson was certain that at least two kinds occurred in Damara 
Land, and the British Museum would be glad to acquire a series of 
specimens illustrating the changes of plumage in these two species. 
The Ostrich is still found in most of the Karroo country, within 
the borders of the colony. It usually runs in small families of from 
three to six individuals, except, of course, in the breeding season, 
when a hen and her whole clutch of chickens may be seen together. 
The hen lays a large number of eggs in her nest (thirty-six have 
been found in one), while many more are dropped in the neighbour- 
hood. The farmers affirm that these latter are broken when the 
young are excluded, and serve for their first meals. They also 
affirm that more than one female lays in a nest, which is always on 
a sandy patch, and that they incubate by turns. The eggs measure: 
axis, 6’’; diameter, 4” 9’” or 5”. 
The South African Ostrich is now recognized as distinct from the 
North African bird, to which the name of S. camelus was originally 
given. The egg of the former may at once be distinguished by 
its finer texture. 
