38 Mr. C. G. Davies on the Birds of the 



Hawks, wliicli are generally somewhere a])Out, knowing 

 well tliat Quail will not ri.se if they can help it and are 

 then easily caught by the dogs or knocked over with sticks. 

 Sometimes a Quail makes a dash for liberty, and then, 

 should it be missed by the Hawk, which is unlikely, drops 

 like a stone into cover ; and it will then suffer itself to be 

 picked up by hand, rather than make another attempt *. 

 i have often heard it said that one of these Falcons cannot 

 catch a Rock-Pigeon in full flight ; bnt the other day I saw 

 a Lanner fairly catch a Rock-Pigeon, after a stern chase 

 which must have lasted ten minutes. 



98. Cerchneis amurensis, Radde. Eastern Red-legged 

 Kestrel. 



I saw a few of this species last summer associating with 

 flocks of C. naumanni ; most of these appeared to be immature 

 birds. 



99. Cerchneis RUPicoLA (Daud.). South African Kestrel, 

 (jommon. 



100. Cerchneis naumanni (Fleisch). Lesser Kestrel. 



A good many of these Kestrels visited the district last 

 sunnner. Dr. Pope tells me that some years ago there were 

 hundreds of this species and 6'. amuretisis, and that the 

 telegraph-wires used to be covered with them. 



101. Bubo maculosus (Vieill.). Spotted Eagle Owl. 

 Not common. 



102. Asio NisUELLA (Daud.). Marsh Owl. 

 (Jonnnon everywhere on marshy ground. 



lOI). I'isoKHiNA CAPENSis (A. Sm.). 'Cajie Scojis Owl. 

 Two s|)eciniens were caught in the town hist summer, but 

 I thiid< the species is rare as a rule. 



* [To some such practice in tlie remote past the oripin of falconry may 

 perhaps be traced. Tlie above account bears a striking resemblance to 

 those passages in Pliny and Aristotle which have often been quoted as 

 proving the existence of falconry in Euiope some 300 n.c. Mr. Short- 

 ridge also notes (' Ibis,' 1904) a similar practice amongst the natives in 

 the adjoining territory of Pcndoland.— Edd.] 



