244



Mr. F. E. Blaauw,



settlements; I met with it round the isolated farm building. I

found it along all the rivers and valleys and I found it looking

for flies in the kitchen of the Standard Hotel in Bredasdorp, and

everywhere it is most surprisingly tame and confiding.


But I must return to my river and try to “ acquire merit ” by

telling about the birds. Slowly walking along the banks I was

surrounded by a swarm of brown martins who were busy catching

insects. A little farther on I was attracted by the plaintive calls of

a family of white-eyes (Zosterops capensis) which were examining

the lower bushes. These birds, although bigger, remind one of the

goldcrests of Europe in their little ways.


On the high banks opposite there was a dead tree, and on the

branches of that tree there were five birds having a great but blood¬

less battle. The end was that three were driven right away, when

the two remaining birds gave a very extraordinary performance.

They both began to open and close their wings as if the wings had

been fans pulled by strings. They were specimens of a largish king¬

fisher ( Halcyon albiventris) which I had met before in the small

woods on the Veld between Port Elizabeth and Van Stadenskloof,

and which does not seem to have to frequent the water as other

species do. These birds are brown with blue wings and red bill

and are about the size of a small thrush. Probably attracted by

the noise of the fight, two splendid hoopoes ( Upupa africana) now

made their appearance, perching on the same dead tree, to be in

turn followed by a number of green weaver birds, so that there was

quite a gathering of birds.


On the bushes near me I had an occasional glimpse of a flock

of waxbills, or roodbekjes as they are called by the Boers. (Estrelda

astrilcl) : these little birds are always seen in small parties and one

hears them very often, but it is rather difficult to observe them for

any length of time as they always hide themselves in the thick

undergrowth.


Walking on, I came to a place where the water was again

very shallow, and here two charming little plovers ( Cliaradrius

tricolaris) were running in the water and over the stones in search

of insects. The birds were quite fearless and took no notice of me.

This little plover is rather common along the S. African rivers and I



