on the Coast of South Africa. G3 



erect, they first endeavoured to escape by running ; on the 

 wing they looked heavy, rarely sustaining their flight for more 

 than a few hundred yards. 



On this same plain, near a river, I found small birds fairly 

 plentiful ; and on entering the mountain-range near Ceres I 

 met with a pair of Scopus umbretta in the stunted bush and 

 shot one, obtaining its mate on my return visit a few days 

 later. About here bush-buck are tolerably plentiful ; and in 

 the mountain-gorge near Ceres I saw several Amydrus morio 

 (the " Redwing " of the colonists) ; but they were too shy to 

 allow me to approach within shot. At Ceres I saw a few 

 Ducks, the only ones I met with during my rambles; and 

 these would not let me get within range. Amongst the 

 species which I had not previously shot, I may mention 

 Amydrus bicolor : its habits are very similar to those of our 

 English Starling ; and they were extremely plentiful, both in 

 the town itself and the surrounding country. On going to 

 bathe in the river I killed a Little Bittern [Ardetta podiceps) 

 in immature plumage. On the plains around Ceres I met 

 with the " Knorhan " [Eupodotis afra) ; and on my return 

 journey to Capetown I added considerably to my collection 

 of skins, but not to the number of species. 



During the remainder of my stay at the Cape I devoted my 

 attention chiefly to some flowering aloes on the sides of the 

 Lion-hill. Promerops caffer, like the other Sun-birds, are 

 much attracted by these stately flowers ; and it was with no 

 little interest that I watched these remarkable birds clinging 

 to the blossoms. I left Capetown on the 14tli of February 

 for Natal, and was glad to get away, as it is but a poor place 

 for the naturalist, be he in pursuit of birds, beasts, or insects, 

 though for the botanist I believe the case is very different. 



The coasting steamers stop at Mossel Bay for George and 

 the Knysna. The country around this place is very barren, 

 with a perfect absence of trees, but with some rather pictu- 

 resque raAdnes. Amongst the small bushes Promerops caffer 

 and Nectarinia famosa are very abundant, the former usually 

 in family parties, the latter in pairs. A few miles out of the 

 town there is a very thriving Ostrich-farm. We next stopped 



