REARING THE CHICKS. 129 



high feeding makes any perceptible difference to the 

 future progeny, but we do think it highly probable that 

 the continued hio-h feedino; has gradually affected the 

 stamina of nearly all our domesticated Ostriches, causing 

 the progeny to be weakly and easily affected by change 

 of weather or other unfavourable circumstances. That 

 it is so with other domesticated animals we know. 

 Look what puny little pups a very fat bitch has, or how 

 weakl}" is the progeny of a very fat sow, mare, or cow, 

 especially if they get very little exercise ! And even with 

 the human race, is it not notorious that the children of 

 the upper classes, living in the lap of luxury, feeding 

 on highly stimulating food, and taking no exercise, are 

 born more puny and more weakly than the children oi 

 the labourer, who get food enough but not of too stimu- 

 lating a kind, and sufficient but not excessive work ? 



If this is so, then it is for us to be contented witl 

 fewer nests, where the birds are left to sit, letting then' 

 gradually recover their condition after the eggs are 

 hatched, and we must not, as is now almost universally 

 the custom, force them rapidly forward again by un- 

 limited food. Or, far better still, incubate ever}^ egg, 

 and never let the birds get into that exhausted condition 

 they do after sitting out ; and thus, whilst getting the 

 advantage of a large number of eggs, the necessity for 

 stimulating food is avoided. 



