ANIMAL INTELLIGENCE.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."] Sin,—I was surprised to see it stated some weeks ago, in a review of Mr. Romanes' book on "Animal Intelligence," that the female ostrich takes no part in the duty of incubation. And I am still more surprised to see the assertion repeated in a long note, in answer to Mr. Romanes' letter on the subject. Here, in South Africa, there are opportunities in abundance for observa- tions on this disputed point, and as there are some three or four- pairs of breeding ostriches at the present moment about one hundred yards away from the spot where I am writing, I may be allowed to assert positively, in opposition to your reviewer, that the female ostrich does take part in the duty of incubation. The facts of the case, so far as I have observed myself and learned from ostrich-farmers, are these :—(1.) The male takes. the greater share in the duty of incubation, and is the more care- ful in regard to the eggs. (2.) The female sits usually during the day more, the male more during the night. (3.) The case- which may have misled your reviewer,—it sometimes happens. that the female is very careless, and then the male does double duty. I have been assured by people here familiar with ostriches that the male occasionally uses gentle persuasion, in the form of vigorous kicks, in order to induce his indolent mate to take a fair share of the common work.
The above assertions are founded on observations of the ostriches which are kept here in thousands on farms, for the sake- of their feathers. Whether or not the absolutely wild ostriches differ at all in their customs, I cannot say, but as the ostriches kept by farmers are to all intents and purposes wild (and very dangerous customers, as a rule, to encounter when breeding), I should suppose that the same assertions would be true regarding: them also.—I am, Sir, &c ,
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