from the Amsierdain JjiKtiict. 41 



flies right away ; the female, on the other haud, rarely takes 

 to flight when disturbed from her nest, but runs away for 

 some ten or twenty yards, then stands looking at the intruder 

 before making another short run and again standing still, 

 "When riding I have followed a female I disturbed from her 

 nest for several minutes without her taking to flight, she 

 allowing me to approach within a few yards of her. Occa- 

 sionally, however, the female when frightened from her nest 

 takes at once to flight, uttering a piercing cry, and is at once 

 joined by her mate; the pair fly round for a short time, after 

 which the female drops to the ground again and anxiously 

 watches the intruder. They are very pugnacious when 

 nesting. If any sheep or a dog approach their nest, both birds 

 rush at them with outstretched wings trying to frighten them 

 away. In the breeding-season they are very noisy at night. 



This bird is apparently new to the Transvaal. 



As I am unable to And that the oggs of this species have 

 been carefully described, I venture to give details. 



The three clutches were all taken on the farm Indhlo- 

 vudwalilie. 



Clutch A, Three eggs, Sept. 1st, 190G. Slightly incubated. 

 Presented to Natural History Museum, South Kensington. 



Clutch B. Three eggs, Sept. 18th, 190(3. Partially 

 incubated. Presented to Prof. Alfred Newton, Cambridge 

 University Museum. 



Clutch C. Four eggs, Sept. 14th, 1906. Slightly incu- 

 bated. Presented to the Transvaal Museum, Pretoria. 



In shape, size, and colouring these eggs are precisely what 

 might have been expected. 



The three clutches vary slightly, but the eggs in each 

 clutch are extraordinarily similar. 



Maximum length 43'9 mm. ; minimum length 42'9 unn. 



Maximum breadth 31*0 mm. ; minimum breadth 29*6 mm. 



Mean length of the ten eggs 43"3G mm. 



Mean breadth of the ten eggs 30*36 mm. 



The eggs are of typical ovate pyriform shape. 



In clutch A the ground-colour is warm vellowish light 

 brown, the shell of smooth texture. The eggs are thickly 



