144, Zoological Society :— 
I take this opportunity of bringing before the Society a short ré- 
sumé of the present state of our knowledge of the species of Struthio- 
DLA" 
A Ai 
Fig. 3. 
nide, which appear to be more numerous than was formerly sup- 
posed. 
I. StruruHio. 
The Athiopian type of the Struthionide (the most perfect of the 
kind, as is its type of the Anthropoid Apes) requires our first atten- 
tion. I have long suspected that the Ostrich of Southern Africa, 
when closely compared with the bird of the Sahara, will turn out to 
be a different species ; and I know that many other naturalists share 
my views. The eggs, as Mr. Bartlett has shown in exhibiting his 
fine series of the eggs of Struthionide this evening, seem to present 
well-marked differences. That attributed to the Southern bird is 
smaller and very much smoother and less deeply pitted, the granula- 
tions in some specimens being nearly evanescent. But I have reason 
to believe that the Southern bird is the larger in size. Through the 
unfortunate loss of both the young Ostriches presented to the So- 
ciety by Sir George Grey last summer, we have missed the opportu- 
nity which we should otherwise have had of comparing them with 
the noble examples of the Northern bird which grace our Mena- 
gerie. But as Sir George Grey, who is now returning to the Cape 
Colony, has promised to obtain for us other adult examples, there 
is every reason to believe that we shall ere long be able to make the 
desired comparisons*. 
The Ostrich of the Syrian and Arabian Deserts, mentioned by 
Col. Chesney (Journ. Euphr. Exp. i. p. 588), Dr. Layard (Nineveh, 
* Prince Bonaparte speaks of a Struthio epoasticus, Compt. Rend. xliii. p. 785 ; 
but I cannot make out that he refers to either the southern or northern species. 
