CRANES 209 



in the Orange Free State, and the accompanying photograph 

 was taken at Springfontein, where it is plentiful. 



Their noisy call — so exhilarating to the sportsman — may 

 very frequently be heard at sunset amongst the long grass 

 and stunted scrub on the crests of low stone koppjes, its 

 favourite locality at that hour. It may also be found in the 

 open glades of the thick mimosa-bush scrub which fringes 

 the spruits and water-courses, where it adds considerably to 

 the " bag " of a day's " shoot." It rises suddenly and flies 

 with great rapidity, consequently shootingit is no easy matter. 



It makes its nest in a depression in the ground under a 

 tuft of grass, herbage, or ripening grain-stalks, and lays five 

 to nine eggs of a dark fawn colour spotted with brown. 



The second genus (Pteruistes) contains three species of 

 purely bush-loving birds easily recognised by the bright 

 red bare skin round the eye and on the throat. 



The two southern species may be known as the Eastern 

 and Western Cape Eednecked Francolin (P. nudicollis and 

 P. castaneiventer), ranging as far north as Natal, and 

 differing from the northern form (P. swainsoni) by having 

 the feathers of the breast and belly with white centres. 

 The latter bird has the back more vermiculated, and is 

 also smaller. It is very common in the Pretoria bushveld, 

 and forms a fair proportion of the sportsman's bag. 



All three species are found in thick bush, where they 

 sometimes take refuge in a tree when flushed. They nest 

 under a tuft of grass beneath a bush or tree, and lay from 

 six to eight eggs. 



CRANES 



The members of the Family Gruidae are true ornaments 

 of the veld, being stately birds, and are represented in 

 the sub-continent by three conspicuous species. 



The Wattled Crane (Bugeranus carunculatus) is slate- 



