From the behaviour of the ostrich chicks it may be assumed that on rushing towards them the first instinct to assert itself was that of flight, and the birds scattered. Then extreme fright or terror supervened, and brought about a general nervous collapse of the chick, as a result of which it flopped down. From this condition of nervous collapse it only slowly recovered. In insects, as, for instance, in many beetles, it is often found that a sudden touch will bring about the same response, though it is very questionable as to how far what we know as fear is here concerned. It seems to be little more than a reflex reaction which has proved itself useful to the animal's ancestors, and thereby been preserved and more perfectly developed by natural selection.

Death-feigning in the ostrich chick has evidently a greater significance than that of merely giving to the animal the appearance of being dead and inert, in the same manner as in an insect. The principle of protective resemblance is also involved. Every ostrich farmer knows the extreme difficulty of finding a brood of ostrich chicks once they scatter in the bush and crouch down. After a prolonged search he will secure only a few of those immediately near him, and then return for a second attempt, when the birds have again gathered round the parents. The peculiar black and brown striping of the neck, found only in chicks, and the mottled black and brown natal plumage harmonize most closely with the surroundings when the chicks are recumbent upon the ground.

The chicks appear to get beyond the instinct of death-shamming very early. The ones just mentioned never again displayed the reaction after being brought home and reared by hand; and it seems to be rarely resorted to by incubated chicks artificially reared. Under some circumstances, however, very young birds, say to one month old, will fall flat from almost any object or noise which suddenly startles them, and this applies to tame chicks as well as to wild or nearly wild ones. Also as the chicks get older the collapse is not so complete nor does it continue for so long a period as at first; for frequently after a bird has crouched down and one makes towards it, the creature will spring up and make off, perhaps to drop a second time if hard pressed. The experience of farmers is that by the time the chicks. are a month or more old they resort more freely to running when alarmed, and only crouch when hard pressed or very suddenly startled.

We may now consider if there is any evidence for the instinct being continued into the adult stage of the ostrich. In a general way it is found that when an ostrich is alarmed it takes to running. and even the fleetest horse is incapable of keeping pace with it so long as the pursued continues in a straight course. Once fully started, the bird probably never has recourse to the true deathshamming instinct, but will continue its course as long as its strength lasts, and only fall flat when exhausted, often never to rise again. In the days of wild ostrich hunting the birds were thus frequently driven to death with a horse. The instinct of flight, however, is not resorted to under all circumstances by adult birds. Instances are

known where an adult ostrich has been come upon quite suddenly, as from the top of a kopje, and the bird was apparently so startled by the apparition that it at once collapsed on the ground with its neck and head outstretched, and made no attempt to escape. The primary instinct of death-feigning was here the first to assert itself, not that of escape.

Mr. Guy A. K. Marshall has observed the habits of the wild ostrich in Mashonaland, and states that in one case the bird squatted after running for some considerable distance and dodging about among some low bushes. In a second instance, coming suddenly over a rise in quite open country, three ostriches were seen about 400 yards away. They detected the intruder at once and dropped like stones, being then almost indistinguishable from the ant heaps among which they were feeding. Upon continuing to walk towards them, they evidently recovered from their collapse, rose up, and soon made off out of sight.

Such well-authenticated observations prove conclusively that the ostrich may retain its instinct of death-feigning into the adult state; it is not resorted to so freely as when the bird is young, but it still comes into action under certain conditions. The circumstances calling it forth seem to be sudden or intense alarm or fear. Under ordinary conditions of alarm the birds take to flight, but when suddenly alarmed, without perhaps a chance to escape, they follow an instinct which is more usual in the young. It is easy to

understand the advantage gained by this gradual change of response. While very young the chicks would scarcely be able to escape an enemy by running, and hence death-feigning is an advantage to them, and is the usual procedure on alarm; as they become stronger and fleeter their increased bulk would result in exposure and danger, and thus they resort almost entirely to flight.

It is manifest that the ostrich has, as it were, a choice of actions when alarmed: either it can drop down and rely upon its inertness and close resemblance to its surroundings for protection, or it may take to running and depend upon its fleetness for escape. It is more likely to follow the former while young, the latter as it grows older. It may even act differently under what seem to be similar circum- . stances. As in many animals, particularly those higher in the scale, there is an element of uncertainty as to which of several possible courses may be chosen in an emergency.

An instinct which seems very closely related to the above is sometimes displayed by brooding or nesting birds. In this parental duty the cock and hen occupy the nest alternately, the hen mostly by day and the cock by night; to be somewhat accurate, the hen sits from 8 or 9 a.m. to about 4 p.m., and the cock from 4 p.m. to 8 or 9 a.m. The greyish colour of the female bird usually harmonises very closely with the natural surroundings by day and the blackness of the male by night. There can be little question that these sexual differences are the results of natural selection. Under ordinary circumstances the wild or semi-wild ostrich will sit with its long neck erect as if on the look out, but immediately it espies any danger, as

on the approach of man, down drops its neck and head flat on the ground, and it is with difficulty the position of the nest and bird can be detected. Often when searching for their nests the farmer finds it necessary to hide behind a distant kopje or rise, and locate the birds with their heads erect by means of a field-glass.

In studying the behaviour of animals we have to guard against attributing intelligence or even consciousness to all their actions. We see, as in the present instance, ostrich chicks acting in a manner which is obviously the one best adapted to the special conditions, but, although at first sight tempted to do so, no one would think of associating intelligence with the response, much less could we accuse the creatures of intentional deceit as is implied in the term death-shamming. Death-shamming is a congenital or hereditary act on the part of ostrich chicks; it is a complex action performed without any previous experience and independent of instruction. One can never be quite certain what are the factors, conscious or otherwise, which determine any action of an ostrich without becoming an ostrich one's self, nor altogether analyze its feelings unless one has the feelings of an ostrich; but we are probably safe in saying that the reaction is an altogether unconscious one and without any psychical attributes.

It is the exhibition of the instinct of death-feigning which has probably given rise to the stories of the ostrich hiding its head when in danger, and leaving the rest of its body exposed; and the tendency to put human constructions upon the actions of the lower animals has engendered the idea of stupidity as associated with the act. In a state of nature the act would be unquestionably useful both to the chick and the adult bird as a protection from its enemies. To the early ostrich hunters it must have seemed the height of stupidity,. looked at from a human aspect, for such a large bird when alarmed to suddenly flop down before him limp and motionless, and with time the act has become a byword. But when we realise that this same instinct is undoubtedly useful under natural conditions we see that it has a deep significance, and can understand how in the past it may have been encouraged by natural selection.

To say that the ostrich hides its head and then believes itself safe is only an anthropomorphic Way of interpreting the behaviour of the bird. It is probably an unconscious and involuntary act on the part of the creature just as much as is the collapse of a highly-sensitive person upon sudden fear. The hiding of the head is not an essential part of the act of death-feigning, but results from the well-known fact that the ostrich habitually crouches with its neck and head resting on the ground, thereby assuming the closest resemblance to its surroundings. The stupidity lies in our attempt at an explanation of the act, and not in the bird itself.

EDUCATION.

BY FRANK FLOWERS, C.E., F.R.A.S., F.R.G.S.

[ABSTRACT.]

The object of the paper was simply to endeavour to arouse an interest in the claims that Geography has for admission in the curricula of our Colleges and a place in the University Examinations; of course, in the sphere of Higher Education.

Educationalists might be of opinion that the paper embraced extravagant views and claims, but when the well-nigh total neglect that Geography in its pure form in class work has sustained is remembered, the almost hysterical announcements of Geographers are not to be wondered at. To quote from an article in the Star, commenting upon the fact that Geography is only compulsory in the School Elementary Cape University Examinations, that paper observes, "that is to say, the official opinion of the Chief Educational Institution in South Africa is that Geography is a study neither suitable nor necessary for boys above the age of 12."

The paper under review deals with the difficulties in framing an entirely satisfactory syllabus for Geographical study, owing, of course, to the manifold branches of the subject. It also suggests as a comprehensive definition or central theory for a working hypothesis that Geography is the Science which details the Earth's dictation to Life.

The author quotes freely from prominent writers, such as Dr. Mill, Dr. Herbertson, Sir Clement R. Markham and others. Three are worthy of repetition.

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Sir Clement points out that Geographical ignorance-speaking of Geography in its broadest sense-"is the cause of loss in commerce, of disaster in war, and blunders in administration. Until merchants, soldiers, seamen, engineers, lawyers, and above all, statesmen, are also Geographers, these evils will continue." Dr. Herbertson remarks: Surely it is only common sense to see that it is properly studied by those who will direct great enterprise. When its educational and practical value are both taken into account, only ignorance or inertia or the influence of vested interests can explain its omission from the higher classes of schools, or from the Universities." While Dr. Mill directs attention to the fact that the glory of Geography as a science, its fascination as a study, and value in practical affairs arise from the recognition of the unifying influence of surface reliefs in controlling the incident of every mobile distribution of the Earth's surface; and that the grand problem of all must be the demonstration and quantitative proof of the control exercised by the forms of the Earth's crust upon the

distribution of everything which is free to move or be moved; that is to say, the physical conditions of environment to organise response. After discussing Geographical education in the Transvaal, the writer closes his paper by expressing a hope that Geography in some co-ordinated form will soon find a place in our educational institutions, which becomes a positive necessity if the dream for South Africa's future is to be realised, and the rising generation, with Mr. Julius Jeppe, is to "look forward to a dawn of prosperity such as South Africa has never seen, a prosperity which will distribute its beneficial effects in ever-widening circle to the utmost bounds of civilisation."