174 
THE SOCIETY’S OSTRICHES. 
and which is contrary to their own best interests. The 
Eoyal Humane Society of England has, we believe, had the 
matter under its consideration, and we trust the general 
adoption of the system pursued by Mr. Meintjes will put 
a stop to the charges of cruelty so frequently brought 
against South African ostrich farmers.” — Advertiser. 
This process we therefore propose in future to adopt, 
not only from motives of pecuniary advantage, but from 
feelings of humanity. 
The birds we now have are enclosed in four substantial 
paddocks, one of the last erected being of three rails and 
prepared for short palings all round, as a security for the 
young birds after they are hatched, and varying in size 
from forty to ten acres, selected in places for purposes of 
security, shelter and dryness of soil, and as the numbers 
of the birds increase more must be added. It is a question 
whether we shall not once more adopt the use of the 
incubator ; for if the disease to which the young birds are 
so liable could only be avoided, there is no doubt of the 
immense advantages the artificial hatching has over the 
natural process ; but before any further experiment can 
be made, we must have a larger flock to operate with. 
They require constant supervision, and one man is em- 
ployed at nothing else than attending to them, with occa- 
sional help as may be required. They are daily fed with 
chopped lucerne, which we grow on irrigated ground, or 
other green food, sorghum, and maize, besides having a 
regular supply of crushed bones and small gravel, as well 
as abundance of natural herbage and grass in their separate 
enclosures. They are consequently always in prime con- 
dition, and this is an essential to the proper growth of the 
feathers and to their successful breeding. 
They have also our own personal attention, and nothing 
that care and expenditure can accomplish has been spared 
