DISEASES. 139 



to another. As yet no disease has been observed 

 in the Ostrich which can be pronounced either infec- 

 tious or contagious, but they are highly susceptible to 

 those which are communicative^ such as internal 

 parasites. 



The digestion of the Ostrich is proverbial : pieces of 

 iron, or even, as we have known, a small table-knife, a 

 gimlet, and a lot of nails and pieces of wood, are readily 

 dissolved in the bird's stomach ; and yet no animal or bird 

 has proved itself so terribly susceptible to the attacks ot 

 internal worms, finding their habitat in the stomach and 

 intestines, as the Ostrich. To the two principal worms 

 to which the Ostrich is subject, namely, the "tape- 

 worm" and "Strongylus Douglassii," we have devoted 

 separate chapters. A short time ago we were asked to 

 go to two adjoining farms, in the grass veldt, and see 

 two troops of birds, about a year old, that had another 

 new worm. The birds were in good condition, and none 

 had died, so that the nature of the worm could not be 

 told, but hundreds of what appeared to be ova of a new 

 tape- worm were j^assing out in the stools. These were 

 full of life, and moved like caterpillars. After a few 

 hours they turned red. The disease has only just made 

 its appearance, so that whether it would prove very 

 serious or not remains to be seen. Anyhow, if any 

 one observes it, he should take it in hand with vermi- 



