8TRT7THIO. 



Struthio camelus, Linn. 



Struthio camelus, Thien. Fortpjlanz. ges. Vog. tab. iii. (1845-54) ; Hardy, 

 Compt. Rend. xlvi. p. 1272 (1858); Tristram, Ibis, 1860, p. 72; 

 Sclater, P. Z. S. 1863, p. 233 ; Nathusius, J. f. O. 1885, p. 165, taf. 2. 

 fig. 3; Schalow, J.f. O. 1894, p. 5; Salvador*, Cat. Birds B. M. 

 xxvii. p. 572 (1895) ; Sharpe, Hand-l. i. p. 2 (1899). 



The few eggs of the Northern Ostrich in the Collection vary in 

 colour. One is of a parchment- white, and two are of a pale greenish 

 yellow. A fourth is of a dead white, without any gloss. They 

 may be distinguished by their extreme smoothness, and by the 

 absence of those pits or pores which are so characteristic of the eggs 

 of the other species of Ostriches. There are, it is true, a few minute 

 pores, but they can only be detected when the shell is closely scruti- 

 nized, not otherwise. Four eggs measure respectively : 6 by 5 ; 5'7 

 by 4-75 ; 6 by 4-9 ; 6 by 5. 



1. North Africa. 



1. North Africa. 



2. Jebba, Upper Niger River, 



23rd Jan. 



Old Collection. 



Salvin-Godman Coll. 



Capt. G. Fanshawe Abadie [P.]. 



Struthio molybdophanes, Reichen. 



Struthio molybdophanes, Henke, ZeiUchr. ges. Orn. 1884, p. 219, taf. xii. ; 

 Nathusius, J.f. O. 1885, p. 165, taf. 2. fig. 2 ; Schalow, J.f. O. 1894, 

 p. 7 ; Sakadori, Cat. Birds B. M. xxvii. p. 574 (1895) ; Sharpe, 

 Hand-l i. p. 2 (1899). 



The three eggs of the Somali-land Ostrich in the Collection are of 

 a parchment-white or dull yellowish, plentifully covered with deep 

 pores or pits, which are of a deep purple colour, very distinct, and 

 of a large size. They measure respectively : 5'9 by 4-85 ; 5*9 by 

 4-65 ; 5-9 by 4-8. 



1. Somali-land. Old Collection. 



2. Somali-land. Purchased. 



Struthio australis, Gurney. 



Struthio australis, Henke., Zeitschr. ges. Orn. 1884, p. 220, taf. xii.; 



Nathusius, J.f. O. 1885, p. 165, taf. 2. fig. 1, taf. 3. figs. 4-8 ; Layard, 



Bird* S. Africa, Sharpe s ed. p. 791 (1875-84); Schalow, J.f. O. 



1894, p. 9 ; Sakadori, Cat. Birds B. M. xxvii. p. 575 (1895) ; Sharpe, 



Hand-l. i. p. 2 (1899). 



The eggs of the Cape Ostrich cannot, with certainty, be separated 

 from those of S. molybdophanes nor from those of the next species. 

 Judging, however, from the few examples available for examination, 

 the eggs of the present species would appear to have the pores or 

 pits on the shell finer and smaller and of a somewhat paler colour. 

 They vary in size from 5'7 to 6'3 in length, and from 4-8 to 5 

 in breadth. 



2. South Africa. 



1. Cape of Good Hope. 



1. Cape Colony. 



Old Collection. 

 Salvin-Godman Coll. 

 P. L. Sclater, Esq. [P.]. 



