GUINEA-FOWL SHOOTING 71 



branches. Like the other South African '^phea- 

 sants" they have a screaming, noisy call. 



Although plentiful in British Bechuanaland, the 

 guinea-fowl becomes for more abundant in the less 

 frequented districts of the interior. At early morn- 

 ing near the Botletli river I have seen flocks of some 

 hundreds gathered together in the winter season, 

 and even near Maqua Pool, in the dry, desert 

 country of the North Kalahari, I saw strong bands. 

 As these desert pools fail, the birds congregate near 

 more permanent waters, and are then to be seen in 

 astounding number. The late C. J. Andersson men- 

 tions having seen more than a thousand gathered 

 in one spot. The Bushmen of the Kalahari have 

 various methods of taking them, and having care- 

 fully extracted the crops, which are usually crammed 

 with small bulbs, dear alike to these children of the 

 desert and to many of the game birds, they carefully 

 skewer them on a stick, and hang them up to dry 

 against a day when flesh is inaccessible. I have 

 tasted these bulbs ; they have a sweet, nutty flavour. 

 They may be considered the Bushman's bread when 

 other food is scarce; a European would find them 

 but a poor stand-by, I am afraid. 



It is a wonderful sight to come at early morning 

 in the desert upon one of these huge bands of 

 guinea-fowl, congregated together during the dry 

 season near some pool or fountain. I shall never 



