We have thus, though a very unscientific, yet a very true,
hygrometer, by which the intense dryness of the inland air may be
compared with the atmosphere of Cape Town; which latter exceeds,
probably, in the same proportion, the atmosphere of England.
At this spot the thermometer rose to 84° (280,8 C.) in the
middle of the day, and sunk to 43° (6°*1 C.) in the coldest part of
the night.
Here, for the only time during these travels, I met with an
elegant bird, differing but little from the Long-legged Plover of
England *: also the Egyptian Goose -f, which I have frequently met
with in the colony in a domesticated state; the Crimson-billed Duck J ;
and a small brown duck §, which, according to Speelman, is called
by the colonists Smi-eendje (Widgeon). This last is, probably, not a
common bird, as I never saw it but this once.
On the surface of the earth, were scattered many remarkable
stones, of various sizes, from one to four inches in diameter, of
a compressed round form, hard and compact, and of a grey color.
These were the first indications of lime-stone which had met my
notice: they much resembled the Lias of England, and within,
were crossed by small septaria of a dark color. ||
The latitude of our station at the Zak river was 34° 33' 32". H
* Himantopusmelanopterus, Temminck, Manuel d’Ornithologie, p. 528. — Charadrius
Himantopus, Linn. Syst. Nat. ed. Gmel. i. p. 690. — VarietaSy capite concolot'e. B. Fcemina.
In the intestines a Teenidy or Tape-worm, was found, nearly a foot in length, three-tenths
of an inch broad, and one-twentieth thick; each joint being no more than one-twentieth
of an inch long.
f Anas Egyptiaca.
t Anas erythrdrhyncha. I t is found in many parts of the Colony.
§ Anas punctata. B. Entirely brown, excepting the chin, the cheeks, and a stripe
from the eye, which are white. The eyes, bill, legs, and toes, black: the back sprinkled
with minute yellow d o ts; the under part of the body indistinctly marked with darker
spots: the tail short and brown, with the tips of the feathers acute.
|| Here also may be found Ranunculus pantothrix. var. a. D. C. Syst. Veg., growing
in the river; and a very pretty species of Colytea (Sutherlandia), with small leaves.
Of insects, I picked up an Anthia, resembling A. decemguttata, but without the white
spots.
31st Aug. 1811, at the Sack river, the observed meridional altitude of the sun’s
upper limb was 49° 47' 3".