ON THE OSTBICHES. 215 
thinking it just possible he might get out of that and 
come and look after us. The two hens were both sitting 
down which we were informed they do; also, that 
when the one goes to lay the other goes to keep her 
company, though we did not inquire whether that was 
the etiquette of ostrich life-shall we say good breed- 
ing or the special habits of these two birds. We were 
informed that the hens lay their eggs somewhere about 
round the nest, that is within a few yards, and that 
he cock bird trundles them along and places them in 
due order m the nest. In fact, the male ostrich seems 
the very antipodes of roosters and drakes, for he takes 
all chief solicitude ahout the future of the eggs, placing 
them m the nest, and always sitting on them by night 
with warding and divers other little attentions and' 
performances necessary to a successful issue of incuba- 
tion, which our good friend, Mr. Douglass, has care- 
fully observed, after much patient watching, and du] v 
made a note of. Here we saw a fine nest of eggs and 
proceeded to count them, but were stopped wfth the 
information that they would never hatch. No never • 
and for why , s i m ply that they were artificial,' and so 
good is the imitation that they deceived not only 
novices hke ourselves but even the ostriches, who ouaht 
to have known better. 
"Out of the enclosure given up to the exclusive use 
of tins polygamus family of three, we entered through 
a locked gate into a large enclosure or paddock, ! 
They all looked exceedingly well, and though they did 
not dance, they seemed full of life. They do sometimes 
favour the spectators with a dance, and it is one of the 
funmest of all the freaks or habits of animals that 
