May 1, 1901.1 THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
755 
one is at hand, the egg should be carefully 
removed from the spot where it was 
laid, and put into the enclosed space 
which has been provided. In this case 
the old nest should be destroyed 
by placing thorny bushes or any 
other obstacle in any unsuitable spot, as often 
as she choses such. If the bird appear shy 
of taking to the enclosed place to which the 
eggs have been removed, it is a good plan 
to place her food inside the enclosure for a 
few days, and she will wondei'fully quickly 
take to the eggs and settle down. If not 
now disturbed she will hatch successfully, as 
has been the case in Mysore. The ostrich 
lays eggs at intervals of four days ; and the 
three young ones uatur.illy hatclied in My- 
sore were born on the llth, I3th and 16th 
of August 1899. 
Oiie of the three died by being trodden on 
by the parent-bird when it was only the size 
of a young turkey. This was owing to a 
stampede of the larger birds which Jiad been 
frightened. The other two young ones are 
now 19 mouths old, and are, although hatched 
in captivity, far finer and healthier birds than 
the parents. The original pair were got from 
Magersfontein, Cape Colony, South Africa, 
when full grown, and their price, including 
shipping, was R1,1:00 the pair. 
THIS SUCCESS IN BREEDING 
appears to be unique and has not been accom- 
plished in the Zoo at Calcutta nor in any other 
Indian gardens. The enterprising Superinten- 
dent at Mysore hopes to form a company and 
thinks there is not the least doubt that Mysore 
will be the future farm, as it is the best 
climate for these birds. Why not also Ceylon ? 
Tne breeding of these birds would probably 
become a source of revenue to any state. 
What about the climate of Haputale ? And, 
Mr. Editor, why not utilise the Boers as 
ostrich farmers? Mr. Hughes writes: "In 
stcirting a farm as a paying concern there 
should be one male bird to four females 
which should then produce sixty birds a year." 
His information is valuable because it is not 
theoretical but practical, and has all been 
put to the proof. [Photographs of the young 
ostriches taken at the age of eight months can 
be seen at Observer office till thf end of Api-il ; 
also photographs of other animals reared in 
the gardens at Mysore.] 
Referring to the Calcutta Zoo, Mr. Hughes 
writes : "The buildings at the Calcutta Zoo 
were created at great cost bvit some of them 
are not built in a proper situation ; there- 
fore the animals do not thrive or live 
long. In gardens where records are kept of 
the longevity of the animals in capti- 
vity, great care must be exercised in the 
choice of building sites, which should be 
selected by pr-actical collectors ivho know 
the habits of the animals. T have collected 
thousands of animals for Mr. Carl Hagen- 
beck, and know the Islands all over the globe 
where the rarest animals can be obtained." 
THE MYSOBE" ZOO GARDEN 
though small is of considerable interest, and 
it has Just been taken over by the state. 
Up till recently it was a, private concern. 
In one part of the grounds one comes to 
a double i-ailed enclosure forty feet in length 
by twenty feet in height. Inside the inner 
compartment is a large stone cage, two stones 
high ; not dark and solid, but with an archway 
on each of the four sides and covered with 
creepers bash. At first sight all is silent and 
empty apparently, but as one approaches 
there is a strange blowing and breathing 
like that of angry cats; and looking up one 
sees a magnificent huddled mass of bai-red 
fur, and out of this glare eight fierce eyes. 
These are a family of four splendid tigers 
which were caught in the jungles within a 
few miles of Mysore, in October 1899, by 
Commissioner H Mathia of Mysore. They 
were caught by order of the Maharani 
Regent in Nepal and were then driven into 
trap cages . The family consisted of father, 
mother and two nearly full grown cubs. It 
was at first intended to separate them at 
once, but the tender heai t of Her Highness 
was so touched by the affection they showed 
for one another that for a full year she kept 
the four at Mysore ; and only a short time 
before the death of Her late Majesty Queen 
Victoria, a pair of them, male and female, 
and exquisitely marked, were presented to 
her by the Maharani Regent. The 
male of this pair (now in the London 
Zoo) measures 9 ft. 3 inches to the top of 
crown : but from the nose to the tail it 
measures 10 ft. 2 inches. 
Her Highness took great interest in this 
FAMILY OP TIGERS 
•'^nd allowed them daily as much raw meat 
as they could eat. The amount allowed 
to each tiger daily was 16 seers which equals 
32 lb. English weight. The cubs generally 
lay piled upon their fathers and mothers, 
embracing them with their paws, just as 
human children twine round and fondle 
their parents. 
Referring to the size of the tiger-cage, as 
herein specified, Mr. Hughes remarks that 
that size does not give adequate accommoda- 
tion, and quaintly adds, " All the Mysore 
cages are built according to the purse, not 
according to the comfort of the animals, and 
I feel for them very much." 
The yarious kinds of leopards are always 
interesting to watch. There is the restless 
black panther, almost the fiercest of all the 
wild .animals, which will tackle an animal 
four times its size. It is never still a moment, 
but always sidling round its cage, lashing 
with its long tail, regarding all who ap- 
proach with fierce furtive eyes, and ready to 
spring with a snarl and a furious bite at any 
unwary hand stretched too near. The Maha- 
rajah's hunting leopards, with broad leathern 
collars round their necks, come next. They 
are useful in hunting large game, and have 
this peculiarity that they will only strike 
once at their quarry. However, that " once " 
seldom fails to be effectual. 
We trust that the Colombo Zoo will before 
long be an accomplished fact and that the 
scheme will receive generous support from 
the Government. 
S. H, E, AMYA«, 
