Mr. E. L. Layai'J un Soulh-African Ornithology. 09 



20th June, accompanied by an active man, and provided with 

 two stout ropes (together 180 feet in length), provisions for the 

 day, blowpipe and drill, and knapsacks filled with wool for the 

 eggs. The following is his account of the trip : — 



" 'We started at 8 o'clock a.m., and, after about an hour's walk, 

 reached a fountain. From this point a tedious climb of about 

 an hour and a half brought us to the summit of the mountain, 

 and we stood on the edge of the krantz. We proceeded along 

 the edge, looking carefully down below for eggs, until, in about 

 a quarter of an hour's time we sighted one, and forthwith pre- 

 pared for a descent. The krantz, seen from a distance, has the 

 appearance of a long perpendicular precipice, with few inequali- 

 ties on its face ; but in reality ,it leans back considerably from 

 the perpendicular, and its ledges and jutting points afford 

 sufficient footing to enable one to descend almost anywhere 

 with the aid of a rope susi)ended from the top. The greatest 

 height of the krantz is about 550 feet, and the average about 

 400 feet. The Vultures build on the ledges about one-third of 

 the distance from the top; and their nests, composed of sticks, 

 bushes, and grass, in the form of a shallow plate, and about two 

 feet in diameter, contain one e^^ each. The cliffs about the 

 nests are quite white from the droppings of the birds, and 

 this is conspicuous from a great distance. The krantz runs 

 about east and west, and faces south, so that for some months 

 in winter the sun does not reach it. 



" ' Having fixed one end of the longest rope to a large stone, 

 provided myself with a knapsack, and taken off my shoes to 

 enable me to secure firmer footing, I began to descend. The 

 rope proved too short, and we had to join another to it. I there 

 got four eggs. They are of a dull bluish-white, some being 

 slightly speckled with brown at the obtuse end, and w^eigh 9 oz. 

 After blowing and packing these, we hauled up the rope and 

 proceeded further, descending wherever we saw eggs that could 

 be got at, until we had obtained sixteen. It was now 4 o'clock 

 P.M., we had traversed about half the length of the main krantz, 

 and were beginning to think of returnmg, when, on rounding 

 a corner, we were agreeably surprised by the sight of a 

 number of birds on the ledges below. We frightened them off, 



