NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



tail feathers with brown bases and four narrow brown trans- 

 verse bands. Below, a transverse band, more or less complete, 

 of dark brown across the breast. Rest of lower surface white. 

 Iris lemon-yellow. Bill light horn colour. Feet light yellow. 



Length, sy.o-^^'^i.b ; tail, 13.5. 



The female resembles the male in plumage, but is consider- 

 ablv smaller. 



Dtst7'ibutio?i. — This bustard, although nowhere very 

 common, is fairlv evenly distributed throughout South Africa. 



Habits. — The gom paauw is the largest of all the South 

 African bustards, and is now becoming rather rare owing to its 

 destruction by man. It is usually found singly or in pairs, 

 and sometimes even in small parties of from 3 to 4 

 individuals out on the open plains. Its food consists of the 

 gum exuded by the mimosa, locusts, and other large insects. 

 Its flight is rapid for so large a bird. When running it also 

 exhibits great speed, using its wings to balance itself like an 

 ostrich. The gom paauw, like the rest of the bustard family, 

 does not build any nest. The eggs, 2 in number, are just 

 laid in a slight hollow on the bare ground. They are equally 

 rounded at both ends, and pale olive-brown in colour, mottled 

 and sometimes blotched with purplish and yellowish-brown. 

 They measure from 3.4 to 3.5 by 2.4. 



Barrow's Knorhaan {Otis barrowU). (Vol. II., p. 283.) 



Description. — Male : crown slaty-blue, bounded by a more 

 or less conspicuous line of black. The feathers are erectile, 

 forming a crest. The chin, sides of face, eyebrows, and ear 

 coverts are white. Below the chin is a transverse black band 

 across the throat. Back of neck is tawny-rufous. The back 

 and wings are spotted with black and sandy-rufous, giving a 

 suggestion of transverse bars. The wing coverts are tawny 

 without any freckling. Primary coverts and wing quills 

 black. The tail is tawny at its base. The tip is black except 

 for the centre feathers, which are freckled pale rufous and 

 black with two transverse bands. All over the back is a slight 



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