STRUTHIONID.E STRUTHIO 531 



Riversdale and Oudtshoorn in the south-west of the Colony. Since 

 then the industry has had many fluctuations, but it has now settled 

 down, and though the profits and prices are not what they were in 

 the early days, Ostrich-farming brings a very steady and fair return 

 when pursued under favorable conditions. 



The following table shows the fluctuations in the production 

 and value of Ostrich plumes daring the last thirty years. 



Yr;ir. Ib-i. exported. Value. Average value per Ib. 



1874 .. 36,829 .. 205,640 .. 5 11s. 7d. 



1880 .. 163,005 .. 883,632 .. 5 9s. 7d. 



1885 .. 251,084 .. 585,278 .. 2 6s. 7d. 



1890 .. 212,276 .. 563,948 .. 2 13s. 2d. 



1895 .. 353,651 .. 527,782 .. 1 9s. 9d. 



1900 .. 412,832 .. 876,801 .. 2 4s. 4d. 



1903 .. 490,066 .. 945,001 .. 1 19s. 2d. 



1904 .. 470,381 .. 1,058,988 .. 2 5s. Od. 



An excellent paper on the progress of Ostrich-farming in South 

 Africa was read by the late Hon. Arthur Douglas in Section D, at 

 the meeting of the British Association at Cape Town on August 17th 

 last year. It will be found in print in the number of "The Ibis " 

 for January, 1906. 



