224 
REPORT 
but not one presented the appearance of even second 
class feathers, and yet they realised very high prices, 
that would astonish an African dealer. Subsequently 
I saw some that are exhibited in a glass case at the 
Technological Museum, and they are much about the 
same quality. Why they should be curled artificially 
and dyed I am at a loss to imagine, as it destroys 
the natural drooping beauty of the feather, and, as 
specimens for exhibition in a Museum, they should 
have been left in their natural state. The eggs, also, 
are very much smaller than any I ever saw in Africa 
from birds in their native state. I fear that over- 
eagerness was displayed in order to realise something 
from the imported birds, as the feathers appear to 
have been taken from them before they reached 
maturity ; and some that I noticed were so small, 
that to strip them from living birds was, if not cruel, 
unwise, as it was calculated to expose the creatures 
to chill and cold, which, if it did not prove fatal, was 
very likely to weaken the ensuing crop of feathers, not 
only in the length of shaft, but in one of the chief 
beauties of good feathers — its breadth. The average 
length of a really good feather is about two feet, and 
eight to nine inches wide. 
"In bringing these few remarks to a conclusion I 
would merely recommend any society or individual 
desirous of importing ostriches to endeavour to procure 
them when they are about the size of a turkey cock, 
they will not then be so unwieldy or unmanageable as 
full-grown birds, and can be more readily provided for 
and protected on ship-board. By offering a small 
bonus to some of the officers there would be very little 
danger of their failing to come safely to hand. The 
