284 HOME LIFE ON AN OSTRICH FARM. 



the air with discordant, over-powering noise, chatter 

 out their loud disapproval of our approach ; the little 

 bright-eyed meerkats stare audaciously at us, then 

 dive into their holes in pretended fear of us ; the air 

 is all full of the sweet scent of mimosa-blossoms, and 



T , singing joyously in the overflow of good spirits 



induced by its pure, fresh, exhilarating qualities, en- 

 livens the journey with one song after another as we 

 spin merrily along on our airy, bicycle-like wheels ; 

 while Toto, equally happy, careers at our side, chasing 

 every animal and bird that he sees, though seldom able 

 to catch anything much swifter on its feet than a 

 tortoise. 



These tortoises, by the way, always afforded Toto 

 excellent sport ; he considered it his bounden duty to 

 bring to us no matter from what distance all that 

 he could possibly grasp with his teeth ; and, many of 

 them being much too large to be carried in this way, 

 he was often obliged to put them down for a while, to 

 rest his poor aching jaws. Sometimes he would come 

 to a standstill before a gigantic specimen, and call us, 

 with loud, excited barks, to the spot where some fifty 

 pounds of splendid material for soup were to be had 

 for the picking-up. He would stand barking triumph- 

 antly at the creature, which, in response, kept up a low, 

 roaring noise, expressive of deepest disgust at his pro- 

 ceedings. And when the prize was secured, and we 

 drove off with it safely ensconced at our feet, Toto 

 was a proud dog indeed. 



Somehow, on this last drive into Mount Stewart, 



