of the Transvaal to the Matabele country, where it is a bush-loving
species. It breeds about October or November, and lays either one
or two eggs. Mr. Ayres writes :—“ I met with these Bustards, but
not plentifully, throughout the Marico bush; they appear to be
solitary in their habits, lie close, and rise very silently. In the
evening they utter a melancholy note, f goo, goo,’ often and slowly
repeated. When I first heard this note, I thought it must be that
of some Owl; but on cautiously approaching, up flew a fine cock
Bustard, the skin of which I now send. My brother and I came
across a few of these birds on the Eland’s Biver, in the Bustenburg
district. They appear to be scarce and local, frequenting low
thorns and other pretty thick cover.” During Mr. Jameson’s
expedition to the Mashoona country, Mr. Ayres states that they
were not uncommon from Bustenburg to the Umvuli Biver. “ On
the 14th of November a nest of these birds was found at Matje
Umschlope in the Matabele. The eggs, two in number, were laid on
the ground, and partially hidden by a tuft of grass, and were very
much incubated. They were much pointed, resembling in shape
Plover’s eggs. In colouring they were greyish creamy-white, much
spotted and blotched with dark colour. One measured 2-25 inches
by 1'5 inches; the other 2" by 1'5".”
Mr. Andersson observes:—“ I have met with this species pretty
frequently in Great Namaqua Land, and also, but less frequently, in
Southern Damara Land, to the north of which, I believe, it does
not extend. It is usually found on open ground, thinly covered with
dwarf bush.”
Mr. Monteiro says that it is common in the littoral region of
Angola, but it has not occurred to Senor Anchieta.
Top of head, neck, and upper part of chest, blueish-ash, darkest
on the head; ground colour of back, deep rufous, mottled with deep
brown and black; the prevailing marking on this part is of a
rufous colour, Y-shaped, with a black centre; chin and sides of head
dirty white; head crested; crest deep ferruginous; under parts all
black. Length, 17"; wing, 11"; tail, 7". The female wants the
crest on the head, and is otherwise less brightly coloured. “ Iris
dusky, tawny brown; bill yellowish ash, the culmen dusky; tarsi and
feet nearly white ” (Ayres).
Fig. Smith, 111. Zool. S. Afr. Aves, pi. 4.
613. O tis melanogaster, Rupp. Black-bellied Bustard.
Fupodotis melanogaster, Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 286.
This Bustard has only once, that we are aware of, been found within
the colony, Mr. Bickard having informed us of a single instance of
its occurrence near East London. Dr. Hartlaub, on the authority of
M. J. Yerreaux, gives South Africa as a habitat; and it is included
by Mr. J. H. Gurney as among the birds received from Natal.
Messrs. Fellowes and Watson obtained it in Zululand and Natal, and
Mr. Chapman procured it towards the Zambesi. Mr. Ayres writes:
—“ This very scarce and solitary bird is only occasionally met with
in the Mashoona country; and we did not see it in Matabele Land.
I have shot them many years ago on the coast of Natal, but have
not seen them since. In fact I saw in this part of Mashoona Land
many of the Natal coast-birds.” Senor Anchieta has procured
specimens from Huilla and Caconda in Benguela, the native name
at this latter place being “ Quela.”
Above, fuscous yellow, transversely streaked, and with large
longitudinal black marking« down the centre of many of the
feathers; cheeks dirty-white; chin, throat, a long line extending
down the neck, breast, belly, and quill-feathers of wings and tail,
black; a band of the same colour springs from above each eye, and
joins at the occiput; shoulder and large portion of the wing, white.
Length, 24"; wing, 13" 4"'; tail, 6".
Fig. Bupp. Neue Wirb. pi. 7.
614. O t is apra, Gm. African Black Bustard.
Fupodotis afra, Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 286.
The Knorhaan (lit. Scolding-Cock) is abundant throughout the
whole colony, frequenting the open country. It feeds on insects,
small reptiles, and seeds. The female deposits her two eggs in a
depression of the soil, in which she places a few bents of grass.
They are of an olive-green or brownish ground, spotted and blotched
with brown and indistinct purple : axis, 2" 3"'; diam., 1" 8'"'. It
breeds at the Berg Biver in September, usually laying one egg, but
sometimes two.
It usually goes in pairs, and when followed by the sportsman
always endeavours to evade pursuit by swiftness of foot rather Dmn
by flight. In this way we have seen it run before a pointer for
2 T