258 BEASTS AND MEN 
inserted, so that, from whichever direction the wind is blowing, 
ventilation may be secured without the evil of a draught. It 
has also three exits which can be closed by wooden doors. In 
connection with this building there is an extensive meadow, 
serving as an exercise ground and of sufficient size to hold 
120 ostriches without undue crowding. In the centre of this 
meadow we have erected a sheltering roof for the purpose of 
protecting the food, which is placed under it, from the in- 
fluence of the weather. There is also supplied a small pond 
for bathing purposes, which is greatly appreciated by the 
birds. Various separate enclosures are fenced off at one end 
of the main enclosure, while, at another end of it, the visitor 
may see the stalls which are used for breeding purposes. 
These consist of five small houses with a porch and separate 
yard attached to each. Each house is further divided into 
two compartments, so that there are in all ten compartments 
with a corresponding number of yards, providing comfortable 
abodes for ten pairs of breeding animals. 
Our breeding animals are of course the finest birds that 
we possess, and are selected with very particular care. Some 
of those which we have selected, although only two years old, 
have already attained a height at the top of the back of nearly five 
feet, and may truly be described as giant birds : but of course 
I have a few weaklings on my farm, just as other people have. 
There is, for instance, a hen, coming from an ostrich-farm in 
South Africa, which has failed to develop properly and shows 
all the signs of physical degeneration. The ostriches in the 
farm belong to five geographical varieties—Somali, East 
African, West African, Cape ostriches, and ostriches from 
the Abubaama, a tributary of the Blue Nile, these latter in- 
cluding two specially fine cocks. . 
Tue HospirTat. 
After passing the separate houses just described, the path 
leads to another building furnished with projecting eaves, to 
serve as shelter for sickly or convalescent birds. Here also 
