ON THE OSTRICHES. 209' 
of them, but they all disappeared, and were found 
with their heads eaten oft: It was supposed that native 
cats liad killed them. During the summer just ended,, 
two nests were made, and a number of birds were 
hatched, which were taken away from their parents, 
housed and fed, and of these only three are now 
alive. Of two sent to the Royal Park of this year's, 
birds, one has died from rheumatism. One of the old 
birds got hurt in a wire fence and died ; one strayed 
away and was supposed to have been killed for the 
feathers; a reward of £10 was offered unsuccessfully 
for such information as would lead to the offender 
being punished. The number now left is fourteen in 
all, including one at the Royal Park ; only one of 
the originally imported birds being left. 
The following interesting letter from Sir Henry 
Barkly, Governor of the Cape Colony, who, while 
Governor of Victoria, always took a warm and active 
interest in Acclimatisation, contains some valuable 
information on the management of the ostrich in South 
Africa : — 
" Government House, Cape Town, 
" 14ith May, 1872. 
"My Dear Dr. Black,— Your letter of the 6th 
November, making inquiries as to ostrich farming, 
reached me when I was at Graham's Town, and I 
asked Dr. Atherstone, of that city, whose brother is 
one of the most successful farmers in that line, to get 
me full particulars for transmission to the Victorian 
Acclimatisation Society. This he promised to do, and 
I know he took steps subsequently for the purpose, 
but unfortunately I have not yet received the paper 
