CHAPTER VII 



SOUTH AFRICAN COURSERS 



Desert birds — Habits — Tlie violet-winged Courser — Beautiful 

 bird — Description and habitat — Shooting in the South 

 Kalahari — Excellent eating — Size — Double-banded Courser 

 — Habits and description — Heuglin's Courser — Burchell's 

 and Senegal Coursers — Appearance and habits— Protective 

 colouring. 



Of the great family of plovers, few species are 

 more noteworthy than the coursers. Yet it seldom 

 happens that these singular birds are mentioned in 

 any book of travel or sport» The coursers may be 

 described as true lovers of the desert. They are 

 always to be found in dry open country, where their 

 long legs and great ambulatory powers serve them 

 in good stead, while the general sandy colour of 

 their plumage serves to conceal them from observa- 

 tion. Although, from their migratory instincts, 

 nearly all these birds must of necessity often take 

 long flights, they are, when undisturbed, seldom seen 

 on the wing. Once they have alighted in their migra- 

 tion upon some chosen stretch of country, they seem 



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