OSTRICHES. 103 



being almost invariably represented with three toes 

 instead of two ; and with a tail consisting of a large and 

 magnificent bunch of wm^r-feathers, the finest and 

 longest of "prime whites." Farmers would only bo 

 too thankful if their birds hid such tails, instead of 

 the short, stiff, scrubby tuft of inferior feathers which 

 in reality forms the caudal appendage. 



Each of my friends and relatives, wherf first told, at 



the time of our engagement, that T was "an 



ostrich-farmer," received the intelligence with an 

 amused smile ; and the clergyman at whose church we 

 were married seemed quite taken aback on obtaining so 

 novel and unexpected an answer to his question, during 



the vestry formalities, as to T 's vocation in life. 



He hesitated, pen in hand, for some time ; made T ■ 



repeat and explain the puzzling word ; and at last only 

 with evident reluctance inscribed it in the church books. 



In the early days of ostrich-farming splendid for- 

 tunes were made. Then, feathers were worth £100 

 per lb., the plumes of one bird at a single plucking 

 realizing on an average £25. For a good pair of breed- 

 ing-birds £400, or even £500, was no uncommon price ; 

 and little chicks, only just out of the egg, were worth 

 £L0 each. Indeed, the unhatched eggs have sometimes 

 been valued at the same amount. But, since the supply 

 has become so much greater than the demand, things 

 are sadly changed for the farmers ; our best pair of 

 ostriches would not now sell for more than £12, and 

 experience has taught us to look for no higher sum 

 than thirty shillings for the feathers of the handsomest 



