in South Africa. 47 



per cent, and upwards of the eggs put into the incubators 

 being hatched. This method was largely pursued for many 

 years. 



Previously to 1867 the world's supply of Ostrich-feathers 

 was obtained by the destruction of wild birds, and this 

 destruction was proceeding at such a pace that, had it not 

 been for successful domestication, the Ostrich would ere this 

 have probably been nearly extinct in the Colony. 



Ostrich -farming is practically confined to the Cape 

 Colony. It only exists to a very limited extent in the 

 other Colonies of South Africa. Efforts have been made to 

 start it in Egypt, New Zealand, Australasia, South America, 

 and California, but with very doubtful success ; whilst in 

 the Cape Colony it has been a continuous success from the 

 first. 



In 1880 the Colony's export of Ostrich-feathers was 

 163,065 lbs., about one-eighth of which was from wild birds. 

 In 1904 the export was 470,381 lbs., practically the whole 

 of which was from tame birds. The census of 1891 gave 

 154,880 as the number of tame birds in the Colony, whilst 

 the census of 1904 gave 357,970 ; so that in the last twelve 

 years the figures have more than doubled. This rapid 

 increase has been mainly due to the remarkable freedom 

 from disease that the Ostrich has shown under domestication, 

 whilst all other stock in South Africa has suffered terribly 

 from diseases produced by the " stock-scourge." 



As yet, the Ostrich, when farmed in favourable environ- 

 ment, has only shown a susceptibility to five diseases. These 

 are : — 



1. Strongylus douglasi : by far the most fatal of all. This 

 is caused by a thread-worm adhering in great numbers to the 

 gastric glands, and killing its host by totally destroying its 

 poAvers of digestion. It was first observed in 1879. No 

 cure has been found, and it is very fatal to large numbers of 

 birds when their environment is unsuitable. 



2. " Yellow liver " : an infectious fever, prevalent in 

 chicks up to four months old, and often fatal when they 

 are overcrowded or exposed to excessive moisture. 



