136 SOME BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA 



these birds were not found nestint^ anywhere else in 

 the neio-hboLirhood of Knysna, they must of necessity 

 breed here. There were but a few days in the year 

 when a boat could approach this rock, but the pilot, who 

 should know the vagaries of this coast if anyone did 

 told us that he thought, under certain favourable con- 

 ditions, he could land us there. He said he would send 

 us word if a suitable day arrived, but though we were 

 at Knysna for a considerable time, we did not manage 

 to get to this rock. I believe there was one day on 

 which we could have gone, but the pilot did not send up 

 to tell us, as there was a thick mist on the water at the 

 time. The Egrets were observed, by fishermen who 

 lived near the Heads, to fly out to this rock of an 

 evening, and from this circumstance it was assumed 

 that they nested there. In all probability they only flew 

 out to roost, and bred in large colonies, in company 

 with other species of Heron, near the mouth of the Berg- 

 River, which, as has been previously mentioned, is 

 situated some little distance north of Cape Town. 



With but little doing on the estuary at high tide, we 

 may turn our attention to birds on the island itself. 

 Among these the mewing cry of the Cape Long-claw, 

 or " Cut-throat Lark " is sure to attract notice. This 

 Pipit, which is not really of so bloodthirsty a nature 

 as its name would imply, we found plentifully on rough 

 ground wherever we went ; it is a striking-looking bird, 

 being considerably larger than our Sky-lark at home, 

 and having a very distinct orange- red patch on the 

 throat, narrowly edged with black. This bird is often 

 a familiar figure by the roadside as one drives over the 

 veldt, looking very conspicuous as it takes its stand on 



