NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



Habits. — These birds arrive in South Africa between 

 October and November in huge flocks; they then disperse all 

 over the country. They feed chiefly on locusts, and thus their 

 movements are very irregular, being regulated to a great extent 

 by the movements of respective locust swarms. They feed 

 principally during the day, and roost in high trees at night. 

 When locusts are not to be had the diet consists of mice and 

 insects of various sorts. These storks have not been known to 

 breed in South Africa. In Germany and Holland, however, they 

 are familiar birds. The nests are usually built of sticks, and placed 

 on the roofs of the houses and on chimneys ; these nests are 

 added to each year. They lay from 3 to 5 eggs. These are 

 pure white in colour, and measure approximately 2.8 by 2.1. 



Both in Germany and Holland this stork forms the subject 

 of many of the popular fables and songs of the peasants. 



Crowned Crane, or Mahem {Balcerica reguloruvt). 

 (Vol. II., p. 273.) 



Description. — Above, general colour slaty, being pale on the 

 neck and becoming darker on the back near the tail, which is 

 black. On the crown of the head is a velvety cushion of closely 

 set black feathers ; behind this cushion is a bunch of stiff, 

 straw-coloured bristles, tipped with black, and about 4 in. in 

 length. Lores and sides of face bare, and white in colour, 

 bordered by a line of velvety black plumes. Upper throat 

 covered sparsely with black downy patches. Lower throat bare 

 with an elongate flattened wattle. Wings and wing coverts 

 white for the most part. Tips of some of the longer secondary 

 coverts straw-yellow. The primaries are black in colour. 

 The secondaries are maroon-red, except the first two, which are 

 black. Feathers of lower neck elongated and pointed. Below 

 slaty. Under wing coverts are white, the quills being black 

 below. Iris light ash colour. Legs and feet black. Bare 

 side of face white, with triangular band of vermilion above. 

 Throat vermilion. 



Length, about 39.0 ; wing, 22.5 ; tail, lO.O. 

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