NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



vogel, it immediately descends. Its action is observed by the 

 others, who thereupon make for the same point, so that in a 

 few minutes a large number will have gathered round the 

 carcass. They eat both fresh and decaying carcasses. Very 

 often they gorge themselves to such an extent that they are 

 unable to fly, but have to rest until the process of digestion 

 relieves them. When feeding they make a great deal of noise, 

 and fight over the food. They nest usually in communities, 

 on the face of some steep krantz. Here each builds its nest, 

 resembling a plate in shape. It is about 2 ft. across, and consists 

 of sticks and grass. They only lay one egg, of a dirty bluish- 

 white colour, sometimes slightly speckled with brown. The 

 egg soon gets very dirty and stained by the bird itself. It 

 measures about 3.5 by 2.75. 



Cormorant, or Trek Duiker {Phalacrocomx capensis). 



(Vol. II., p. 191.) 



Description. — Above black. General colour throughout 

 black, slightly glossed with purple. Sides of back and wings 

 greenish-bronze, tipped with black. Neck and chest paler than 

 the rest of the body, being a dark sepia-brown in colour. There 

 are fourteen feathers in the tail. Iris green. Bill slate-black. 

 Skin round the eye and on the throat yellow. Legs black. 



Lengthy approximately 25.0 ; wing, 10.75 ; tail, 4.5. 

 Young bird paler in colour. 



Distribution. — Found along coasts of Africa as far north as 

 the Congo on the west, and Durban on the east. It is most 

 plentiful on the coast between Table Bay and Walfish Bay. 



Habits. — These duikers are found chiefly along the shores 

 of the Western Cape Province. They never come inland, 

 but are always to be found along the coast. Sometimes they 

 fly to their fishing grounds in large flocks, but usually in groups 

 of 5 to 10 individuals. They very seldom fly high, but 

 just skim over the surface of the water. Their food consists 

 of fish and other small marine animals. When hunting for 

 fish they show great facility in their swimming and diving, 



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