STRONGYLUS DOUGLASSII. 159 



would, whenever sufFering in general health, soon fall 

 a prey to the several carnivora that nature has placed 

 ever ready to devour the Ostrich ; as it is by its speed 

 and general alertness that the Ostrich saves itself from 

 them, and in both these qualities it would be deficient 

 whenever it was out of health. But this is the time 

 when it is also most susceptible to the attack of 

 Entozoa, and when it is for the good of its species 

 that it should fall a victim to the carnivora. 



But when we domesticate the bird, we deprive it 

 of all these safeguards which nature gave it ; and 

 unless we substitute in their place others, gained from 

 a general knowledge of its habits and requirements, 

 and backed by the discoveries of medicines and general 

 science, the most dire consequences must be expected. 



Now, this outbreak of worms in the Ostrich I 

 believe has been brought about, in the first instance, 

 by birds being kept on veldt where the necessary 

 alkalies and other constituents of the herbage absolutely 

 essential to them are wanting. The birds then become 

 a prey to these worms ; they commence to die, 

 and are moved to another farm, where they are 

 mixed with others possibly in good health : but 

 the diseased birds begin depositing the eggs in such 

 quantities that the others are taking them in all day, 

 and the first day the hitherto healthy ones are a little out 



