6 
troop showed a similar deficiency, hut each clipping of this particular bird 
was always devoid of barbules and all the body-feathers were of the same 
nature. ; 
With these cases before one, and probably others will be forthcoming 
now the attention of ostrich farmers is drawn to the matter, 1t would ap- 
pear that the production of barbuless feathers is constitutional for the par- 
ticular bird, not something dependent upen its focd or surroundings, other- 
wise successive clippings would not show the same defect without any of 
the other birds in the troop being affected. Also the farmer cannot look 
forward to the bird ever recovering and growing an ordinary crop, though 
it need not influence any offspring. The defect is apparently inherent in 
the bird, something constitutional which interferes with the proper develop- 
ment of the barbule-forming cells. If physiological experiments could be 
carried out they might show that a low blood-pressure is characteristic of 
the birds through some malformation in its organs. 
A New Type oF Drrect IN CERTAIN FEATHERS FROM OUDTSHOORN. 
A defect of a nature similar to the above was prevalent in some of the 
Oudtshoorn feathers in the early part of the present year, but in this case 
fortunately only a small part of the entire feather was affected. It created 
considerable interest at the time, being a new type of defect to most ostrich 
farmers. Specimens of the feathers were kindly forwarded me by Mr. A. 
Auret, of the Civil Commissioner’s Office, and Mr. Wm. Taylor, Secretary 
of the Oudtshoorn Farmers’ Association. One such plume is represented 
in the accompanying photograph (Fig. 3). It will be seen that at two 
places there is a defect in the flue extending as a broad band across the 
feather, and due to a complete or partial absence of the barbules, while 
further down the feather is a third narrow defective band. Each defective 
area passes gradually, not suddenly, into the normal portion of the feather, 
and except at the three bands the flue is of the well-known density, strength 
and richness so characteristic of Oudtshoorn feathers. In some birds all 
the feathers were defective in this way, while in others only old plumes 
suffered. 
In this case it is evident that whatever caused the defect was only of 
short duration in its action, certainly lasting not more than a week or two. 
It can scarcely be imagined that the birds as a whole, kept under the 
stimulating Oudtshoorn conditions, had been reduced in their general 
nutritive condition for such a short period and then recovered almost as 
quickly. From what we know of the growth of the feather it seems more 
reasonable to suppose that the birds had eaten some plant or shrub which 
had the effect of reducing the superficial blood-pressure to such an extent 
that. the barbule-forming cells were deprived of their nourishment for the 
time being. Inquiry among the Oudtshoorn farmers elicited the fact that 
all. the growing feathers were affected at the same place, and that the 
trouble was not due to drought or poverty, the birds being in good condi- 
tion all the time. The idea was expressed that the birds were poisoned 
by eating Malva (Kissie Blaar). Six birds in the camp died, and also two 
horses, as was supposed from eating the mallow. The birds were noticed 
to tremble all over the body after they ate the Malva. 
From all one can gather, the trouble in Oudtshoorn commenced when 
some of the lucerne pastures at the end of the winter season had become 
infested with grass and weeds as a result of winter rains when the lucerne 
was not growing. Under such conditions it is easy to understand that some 
noxious or poisonous weed may have appeared in the pastures, or that the 
food may have disagreed with the birds in some way. Ordinarily the 
Kissie Blaar is supposed to be a harmless demulcent weed, and in places is 
