56S TRAVELS IN 
place, except a few fragments of fhells lying 
here and there, v/hich fufEciently fhevved that 
we had furniflied an excellent repaft to fome 
jackals, or even hyaenas. 
This peculiarity refpeding the female of- 
trlch, which unites with feveral others for in- 
cubation in the fame neft, is the more worthy 
to engage the attention of the naturalift, as, not 
being a general rule, it proves that certain cir- 
cumftances may fornetimes determine the ac- 
tions of thefe animals, and modify their fen- 
fations, which would tend to exalt their 
inftind:, by giving them a more fagacious 
forefight than is generally allowed them. Is 
it not probable that thefe animals affociate 
together, in order that they may be ftronger 
and better able to defend their offspring ? I 
fli all have occafion to enter more at large on 
this fabjed, in the defcriptlon of the oftrich 
which I intend to give hereafter. I flatter 
myfelf that the public will read with pleafure 
plain and authentic relations, which will con- 
tain rather a view of the manners and habi- 
tudes of thefe animals than tirefome details, 
which are often only repetitions concerning 
the number of their feathers, their propor- 
tions, and the exa6l dimenfions of all their 
partSj 
