THE OSTRICH. 
Struthio camelus. 
Plate XLI. 
'I r. Wole’s drawing, which represents the immature plumage of the Ostrich of Southern Africa, was taken 
from one of two individuals transmitted to the Society’s Collection in 1859 by His Excellency Sir George 
Grey, F.Z.S., late Governor of the Cape Colony. Both these birds unfortunately died before reaching maturity, 
but were subsequently replaced by a fine adult pair from the same locality, presented to the Menagerie by the 
same liberal benefactor. 
It may be remarked that, in the case of the Ostrich as likewise of all the other birds of- the Struthious 
group with which we are acquainted, the male performs all the duties of incubation, and takes charge of the 
young ones when hatched. This has been proved to be the fact with the Ostrich in the course of recent 
experiments on its reproduction made in Southern France. The Mooruk, Cassowary, Emeu, and Ehea, have 
each of them deposited eggs in the Society’s Gardens, and in every instance the male has incubated, while 
the female has shewn no inclination to do anything of the sort. It may, therefore, be presumed that this 
rule obtains all through the series of Struthious birds. 
