Mr. T. E. Buckley states that it is still common in the Matabele
country, hut much hunted for the sake of its feathers. Mr. Ayres
also writes: “ The Ostrich is sparingly distributed throughout the
Mashoona country, frequenting generally the more open shallow
valleys. In the Bamangwato country they are much more plentiful.”
According to Mr. Andersson, it is “ pretty commonly distributed
over the boundless wastes and plains of both Great Namaqua and
Damara Land.”
General colour, black in the male; cinereous in the female and
young male; feathers of the spurious wings and tail, pure white, or
sometimes mottled with black; neck covered with brown hair-like
feathers; stands about eight feet high.
a p p e n d i x .
D uring the progress of the present work through the press
many important essays have been published on South African
Ornithology. We have, therefore, thought it best to write a few
additional notes in order to try and bring the work up to date.
This has been done more with a view to render complete the
geographical description of South African birds, and we have
been compelled to omit many interesting notes on their habits
which have been recorded in the recent papers of Mr. Ayres,
Captain Shelley, Mr. Qates, Mr. Barratt, and Majors Butler and
Peilden, and Captain Beid.
Page 1. Gyps k o lb ii.
Lydenburg district (Ayres).
Exceedingly numerous in Newcastle district (Butler, Fielden, and
Beid).
Mashoona Land (Ayres).
Page 3. Gy p s r u e p p e l l i .
Mashoona Land (Ayres).
Page 4. O to g y p s a u r i c u l a r i s .
Orange Pree State (Barratt).
Lydenburg District (Ayres).
Occasionally seen in north-west portion of Natal (B., F., and B.).
Near Umvungu River, December (F. Oates).
Mashoona Land (Ayres).
Pas-e 6. L o O p h o g y p s o c c ip i ta li s .
Humbe onthe.Cunene River; native name Kubi (Anchieta).
Lydenburg District (Ayres).
A pair seen at the Ingagane River, July 23rd, 1881 (Beid).
Mashoona Land (Ayres).