72 NATURE AND SPORT IN SOUTH AFRICA 



forget seeing a large troop containing two or three 

 hundred birds soon after sunrise one morninof in the 

 North Kalahari as we were riding out into waterless 

 country to hunt giraffes. My friend and I caught 

 sight of them just as they appeared in the open 

 from out of a broad fringe of bush. We had a long 

 and careful survey of the band as they moved over 

 the open ground. As we had neither dogs nor shot- 

 guns with us, and were intent on other sport, we let 

 them go undisturbed. 



On another occasion I came across a very large 

 troop in the waterless forest country — principally 

 giraffe acacia — some twenty miles south of the 

 Botletli river. Here again I was armed only with 

 a rifle, and in pursuit of a troop of giraffes. Some- 

 times, with a dog that understands the business, it is 

 possible to get right among a good covey of guinea- 

 fowl. When thus taken by surprise by the dog 

 they will lie very close and afford capital shooting. 

 I recall vividly getting in this way among a band 

 of guinea-fowl upon an open flat between the 

 Setlagoli river and Mosita. The birds lay like 

 stones in the long grass ; we had a couple of pointers 

 with us and the sport was excellent. Sometimes, 

 too, the birds may be surprised while resting in the 

 heat of mid-day under some shady giraffe acacia, so 

 that with the help of a pointer, the gunner secures 

 a bit of good shooting. 



