21 
into the colony, on a scale proper for giving the experiment a fair 
trial, the Council has placed money in the hands of its agents in 
Africa, and has had a great deal of correspondence with some of Her 
Majesty’s Consuls in various countries, most ably and kindly aided 
in this part of their labours by His Excellency Sir T. H. Manners- 
Sutton, the patron of the Society. Important results might be 
expected from the establishment of ostrich farms, such as the French 
had found so profitable in Algeria. One of their correspondents, 
Mr. Layaul, of Cape Town (who has purchased several for the 
Society), stated that the profit of fanning ostriches in such a climate 
as this, in enclosures of moderate size, and taking the feathers, which 
was easily done at the proper period with due care, was something 
immensely greater than that of any other kind of stock that could 
be attended to with equally little expense and trouble. They all 
knew that the climate was admirably suited for increasing the 
number of ostriches, when the sexes were imported in good health 
at a proper age ; and this in future might bo expected to be a really 
important industry throughout the colony. Mr. Samuel Wilson 
would be able to give them some information as to the Axis deer 
which had been turned out on his extensive territory on the Wim- 
mera. Many of the other kinds of deer, both from Europe and 
India, liberated by the Society, were thriving in a way that was 
perfectly marvellous. The great northern district of this island 
continent' showed many resemblances to the southern portion of 
Africa, and seemed to be excellently suited for the propagation in 
great numbers of several of the antelopes of South Africa. Mr. 
Layard, of Cape Town, had been in possession for some time of 
funds from this Society, for the acquisition of several of the best of 
their kind, of antelopes of the African plains and deserts, and the 
fact that many ostriches and antelopes had not yet arrived was princi¬ 
pally duo to the difficulty of getting a ship directly from the Capo 
to this port. The animals had been purchased and kept in confine¬ 
ment (our former patron. His Excellency Sir Henry Barkly, aiding 
in the charge and trouble of the safe-keeping of the Society’s pur¬ 
chases while waiting for a ship), and they would be sent off as soon 
as a suitable vessel left the Cape. These antelopes would form 
important articles of food to persons travelling through the northern 
portion of the country, and would add much to the valuo of central 
districts. A great number of birds had been liberated by the 
Society, and they had thriven in a way that was unexpected by 
many who thought that the rapacious birds of this country would 
be destructive to them. But they found that the rapacious birds 
