THREE GREAT BIRDS 183 



But, like many other husbands, when com- 

 pelled to do things which are really the duty 

 of the wife, George, judging by the way he 

 treated his wife whenever, during this time, 

 she ventured to approach him, let her know 

 what he thought of it; she got some very se- 

 vere blows and challenges to fight. But wben 

 the eggs were hatched George forgot his 

 grievances, and he and his wife were as con- 

 genial as ever and, apparently, no thought 

 whatever was given to the chicks who were the 

 cause of their disagreements. 



I think I am right in saying that this is 

 the only known record of a male ostrich in 

 captivity hatching out the eggs entirely by 

 himself. It is specially interesting if only to 

 prove that even an ostrich has its own in- 

 dividuality, and that it is never safe even to 

 state that the "male ostrich always sits on the 

 eggs by night and the female by day," for 

 this little story alone proves that there are 

 certainly exceptions to every rule. 



George and Martha Washington still breed 

 and hatch young birds, but Martha has never 



