THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE FOREST I 55 



slender stems of the bushes while they procured their 

 food, flapping about in a clumsy way, and seeming much 

 too heavy to gain any prolonged foothold. They would 

 then fly back to their several posts before making further 

 excursions. They made a sharp metallic clicking noise 

 occasionally, consisting of one note only, and when they 

 had done feeding they flew off, one by one, as they had 

 arrived, to a thick bush which became almost black as 

 the whole flock gradually assembled themselves upon 

 it. I do not think these birds were breeding at the 

 time we were at Knysna, but there is a peculiarity in 

 connection with their nesting habits which may be 

 interesting-. These Hornbills nest in holes in trees 

 in the forest, and when the female bird commences 

 to sit, the male bird plasters up the aperture leading 

 into the nest, leaving only a small space, through which 

 the female can be fed. She is thus entirely dependent 

 on him for food, and not only so, but should " anything 

 happen " to the male bird, to use a familiar phrase, the 

 female would be unable, so it is asserted, to set herself 

 free from the inside. When the young birds are ready 

 to fly she is liberated, with them, by the male bird. 



The Eagle-Owls in South Africa are represented by 

 two or three different species, of which the Cape Eagle- 

 Owl is the largest. We did not come across this bird, 

 but on one or two occasions we met with the Spotted 

 Eagle-Owl. The first time we saw this bird was near 

 Caledon, where we flushed it twice from some rocks in 

 the vicinity of a small stream ; in neither case did we 

 see the bird until it rose, the markings of its feathers 

 no doubt rendering it inconspicuous among the rocks 

 and rough ground which formed its surroundings. We 



