NATURAL HISTORY. 
when they are to relieve each 
other, either both remove awhile 
to a distance from the nest, or 
change so hastily, that any one 
who might by chance be spying 
about, could never see both at 
once. In the day time they oc- 
casionally quit the nest entirely, 
and leave the care of warming 
the eggs to the sun alone. If at 
any time they find that the place 
of their nest is discovered, that 
either a man ora beast of prey 
has been at it, and has disturbed 
the arrangement of the eggs, or 
‘taken any way, they immediately 
destroy the nest themselves, 
break all the eggs to pieces, 
and seek out some other spot to 
make a new one. When a colo- 
nist therefore finds a nest, he 
contents himself with taking one 
or two of the spare eggs that are 
lying near, observing carefully 
to smooth over any footsteps 
‘which may have been made, so 
‘that they may not be perceived 
by the birds. Thus visits to the 
nest may be often repeated, and 
it may be converted into a store- 
-house of very pleasant food, where 
every two or three days as many 
eggs may be procured as are 
wanted to regale the whole house- 
hold. 
An ostrich’s egg weighs com- 
monly near three pounds, and is 
considered as equal in its square 
contents to twenty-four hen’s 
eggs. The yolk has a very plea- 
sant flavour, yet, it must be own- 
‘ed, not the delicacy of a hen’s egg. 
It is so nourishing and so soon 
satisfies, that no man can eat a 
great deal at once. Four very 
hungry persons would be requi- 
‘site to eat a whole ostrich’s egg; 
“and eight Africans, who are used 
495 
to so much harder living, migh 
make a meal of it. These eggs 
will keep for a very long time; 
they are often brought to the 
Cape Town, where they are 
sold at the price of half a dollar 
each. 
In the summer months of 
July, August, and September, 
the greatest number of ostriches’ 
nests are to be found; but the 
feathers, which are always scat- 
tered about the nest at the time 
of setting, areZof very little value. 
I have, however, at all times of 
the year, found nests with eggs 
that have been brooded ; the con- 
trasts of the seasons being much 
less forcible in this part of the 
world than in Europe, the habits 
of animals are consequently much 
less fixed and regular. The os- 
triches set from thirty-six to 
forty days before the young are 
hatched. 
Tt is well known that the male 
alone furnishes the beautiful white 
feathers which have for so long a 
time been a favourite ornament 
in the head-dress of our European 
ladies. They are purchased from 
the peopie who collect them, as 
high as three or four shillings 
each; they, are, however, given 
at a low price in exchange for 
European wares and clothing. Al- 
most all the colonists upon the 
borders have a little magazine of 
these feathers laid by, and when 
they would make a friendly pre- 
sent to a guest, it is generally an’ 
ostrich’s feather. Few of them 
are, however, prepared in such a 
manner as to be wholly fit for 
the use of the European dealers. 
The female ostriches are entirely 
black, or rather in their youth, 
of a very dark grey, but have no 
