Hesemhlance of South African Birds. 13 



as they sit motionless amongst the naked branches and twigs. 

 Writing of Haplopelia larvata (Cinnamon Dove), W. R. 

 Ogilvie-Grant (in the ' Royal Natural History ') says it is 

 connnon in thick bush along the coast of Natal, where its 

 brown colouring renders it difficult to detect as it sits 

 motionless among the dense creepers. This is also applicable 

 to the so-called Bush Dove or Rock Pigeon (Cohwiha 

 2)ha'onota). Its coloration is particularly helpful towards 

 the effective concealment of the bird when amongst the rocks 

 &c. of its nestine-haunts. 



Order Pterocletes. 



This is another group where every member may be assumed 

 to possess Nature's gift of protective resemblance. I have 

 seen the Namaqua Sand Grouse [Pierocles namaqud) amongst 

 the scrub and sand of its Karoo home and in the stunted 

 grass of the Transvaal " winter " veld, and in both cases the 

 assimilative coloration of the bird was admirable. 



It seems to me as if the majority of the game-birds of 

 South Africa are possessed of this type of coloration, and I 

 need therefore not go into detail with regard to the 

 Francolins, which are all more or less of the " veld ^' tint, 

 and consequently the reverse of conspicuous. 



Orders Otidid^ and Gallin^e. 



I have just referred to the general veld tint possessed by 

 most of the members of these orders : I have hunted the 

 various Bustards in the O.R.C. and Transvaal and, even 

 guided by their harsh croak, it is often no easy matter to 

 locate them without a dog. Their coloration is very similar 

 to the surrounding grass of the veld, and unless the males 

 protrude their dark-coloured heads above the grass you will 

 find your horse almost on them before they take wing. The 

 male of Otis ofra is much more conspicuous than the female, 

 with its dark head and white wing-patches, so that the 

 protective colouring is much more developed in the female, 



