8 
E.—Tuere NaturaL TIME FOR QUILLING. 
In the management of his birds the ostrich farmer is more likely to be 
successful the more nearly he can adapt his methods to the natural ten- 
<lencies of the bird. The production of feathers under farming conditions 
is at best a highly artificial process for such a roving bird as the ostrich, 
and natural tendencies should be followed wherever possible. To a certain 
degree the feathers of a bird bear a relation to its sexual condition. Among 
all birds it is found that the plumage is at its highest degree of develop- 
ment at the commencement of the mating season. The feathers of gaudily 
coloured birds are the brightest and most perfect at this time, and are 
usually considered to be of some advantage in enabling the cock bird to 
attract his mate. Moulting in nature must therefore take place at such a 
period as will enable the new feathers to reach their highest perfection 
with the advent of the mating season. 
The mating season for the ostrich in most districts of Cape Colony 
commences in the months of April, May, and June. It is at these times 
that the adult cock under natural conditions shows his most perfect 
plumage, the scutcllations of his limbs and his beak are then at their 
brightest crimson, and the whole activity of the bird shows him to be full 
of vigour and energy. If, therefore, the time of quilling can be so ar- 
ranged that the new crop of feathers will come to ripeness during these 
mating months the farmer can reasonably expect that the plumes will be 
the best the bird can produce. As a feather crop requires six months to 
ripen from the date of quilling it is obvious that the best months for the 
operation are the three last months of the year. During these and the 
first two or three months of the succeeding year the sexual instincts are 
less pronounced and the bird is more likely to be in a physiological state 
suitable for the production of the best feather growth. 
By this methed of quilling the feather commences and attains a good 
proportion of its growth during the summer months of the year, October 
to April, which in the Eastern Province happens to be the time when the 
rainfall is heaviest and the veld is in the best condition. 
Many ostrich farmers, especially in the higher parts of the Colony 
where the contrasts between summer and winter are greatest, already fol- 
low the method here given, without, however, any appreciation of the fact 
that it is correlated with the natural sexual tendencies of the bird. They 
quill towards the end of the year and the feathers are ready for clipping 
towards the middle of the next year. It is also worthy of note that in 
practically all districts the months of June and July are considered to be 
the most unfavourable for quilling, that is, for the starting of a new feather 
crop, and these are the months during which the sexual instincts of the 
ostrich are highly developed. 
The natural method of quilling can be easily adopted where the yearly 
system of feather growing is followed, but is necessarily not possible under 
the eight month system. It is well that ostrich farmers should bear the 
principle in mind and as far as possible direct their operations in confor- 
mity with it. 
F.—QuvIiLuine or Tat. anp Covert FEATHERS. 
The account given above applies more especially to the single row of 
feathers, variously known as remiges or wing quills, or technically as 
“wings,” and as “ whites” an the cock and “feminas” in the hen. These 
are by far the largest and most valuable of the ostrich plumes, and call 
for the chief consideration, though the two rows of wing coverts above 
them and the tail feathers are always taken and realise good prices. The 
