134 Occasional Notes. 



February whilst there was no close season for Ducks, and 

 never found an egg inside of one, neither have I found a 

 single nest at Heronmere or any of the dams mentioned. 

 Some years ago, I was the guest of the late Mr. Tobias 

 Mostert during the Easter holidays, on his farm, Rock 

 Nagaar, about thirty miles from Vryburg (Bechuanaland), 

 and we used to row out early in the mornings on one of the 

 beautiful lakes on his estate in search of Coote eggs for our 

 breakfast. The lakes are surrounded by large trees and 

 bordered with thick reeds and high grass. Ht-re I found 

 numerous Duck nests, with eggs and young ones, and 

 hundreds of young Ducks on the lake, from a week to a 

 fortnight old. Nests of Ducks with eggs I found during 

 May and April on the swampy banks of the Macabusi River, 

 near Salisbury, and often sent my Kafir boys out to to collect 

 some eggs, which in 1890 and 1891 were a highly appreciated 

 dish after one's ordinary fare of bully beef. Now, one of 

 the reasons of the Game Protection Association for including 

 Ducks and Geese in the Game Law is that a person going 

 out Duck-shooting might feel tempted to shoot a Koorkhan 

 or any other game coming in his way. No real sportsman, 

 I think, would commit himself so far. Snipe, which are at 

 present plentiful on the waters mentioned, are, however, not 

 included in the Game Law. Your purpose is Snipe shooting ; 

 but what temptation if you are on the banks of these dams 

 and a flock of Ducks or Geese fly round your head, and very 

 few sportsmen think it right that these birds should be 

 protected. — I am, etc., 



Herm Flugge. 



" P.O. Box 4397, Johannesburg-, 

 '' October 16th, 1906. 



" To the President, South African Ornithologists'' Union. 



" Dear Sir, — Seeing your letter in this morning's paper I 

 think the following facts may interest you : — 



" Between October 6 and 16, on the Klip River dam at 

 Henley, I observed young broods of 6 to 9 or 10 weeks' old 

 of Coot, Duck, and Dabchick (Moorhen). 



