AFRICA; 197 
this prefents an idea of diforder In the fpecies, 
which proceeds from two caufes. I iliall fpeak 
of the firft elfewhere, as it is common to all 
the birds of Afric^ ; and content myfelf at pre- 
fent with mentioning the fecond. 
Birds of the fame fpecies copulate generally 
at the fame feafon, and confequently ought 
all to produce young about the fame period. 
Their eggs, however, may be deftroyed, and 
the mother obliged in confequence to lay a 
fecond, and even perhaps a third fet ; and it is 
evident that there will then be young fcarcely 
hatched, while others will have attained a con- 
fid erable fize. 
■ This is the cafe with the oftrlch. She gene- 
rally lays ten eggs ; but thefe eggs are much 
fought after by the favages, who confider them 
as dainties ; and, v/hen they difcover them, they 
never fail to carry them away. The confe- 
quence is, that the animal is retarded in laying, 
and that young oftriches are reared of differ- 
ent ages. If a Hottentot find a neft where 
incubation is not yet begun, and if he fup- 
pofe that it is known to himfelf only, it be- 
comes a treafure, the produce of which he 
Y^ill refer ve for a long time, 
Q 3 Inftead 
