in South Africa. 49 



two years. Birds should average from 1 lb. to 1 lb. 3 oz. 

 of feathers at each plucking, or about 1^ lbs. a year. 



The census taken in April 1904 gave 357,970 birds in the 

 Colony, whilst the export of feathers for the year was only 

 470,381 lbs., equal to I3 lbs. per bird ; but as from the total 

 number of birds must be deducted those that die during the 

 year and those which have not arrived at full feather- 

 producing age, the production was fully li lbs. per adult 

 bird per annum. 



The value of feathers exported in 1904 was £1,058,988, 

 giving €2 19s. Qd. per bird including chicks, or about 

 .€3 10s. Od. per bird of feather-producing age. The greatest 

 w T eight of feathers per bird was produced where irrigation was 

 used and in districts where the veldt was soft. The least weight 

 was obtained on the hard Karoo and at high altitudes. 

 Birds of very superior quality are now being bred, no price 

 being thought excessive for good birds for breeding purposes. 

 As much as ,€1000 was lately given for a pair, and from 

 €200 to €300 is not so very uncommon, whilst the price 

 of ordinary birds is from €5 to €10 each, and of chicks 

 from €2 to €4. 



I have mentioned that in the early years of Ostrich- 

 farming artificial hatching was very extensively practised. 

 This was owing to the great demand for birds and to the 

 very limited number in South Africa old enough to breed, 

 namely, of four years in age. Every effort was made to get 

 the greatest possible increase, and this was obtained by 

 feeding the old birds heavily and not allowing them to sit. 

 Thus they kept on laying all the year round. But as the 

 number of old birds increased and the value of chicks 

 decreased this method became less profitable. Moreover a 

 great tendency to " yellow-liver " sickness was shown when 

 excessive numbers of chicks were reared by hand on one 

 homestead, and now the practice of artificial hatching has 

 been quite abandoned, and the hatching and rearing is done 

 entirely by the parents. The birds begin nesting in July, 

 and lay from twelve to sixteen eggs each, which are hatched 

 in six weeks, the hen sitting by day and the cock by 



SER. Mil. VOL. VI. E 



