284 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 



sea-coast, where its place is supplied by U. Ludivic/ii. The food of 

 the two species is similar — seeds, insects, and small reptilia ; nor ia 

 there any difference in their habits, both frequenting open plains. 

 The males when " playing " before the females, expand the feathers of 

 the throat and strut about, uttering a loud booming noise, which can 

 be heard at a great distance. Like E. Scolopacea, they will squat and 

 lie close to the ground, to avoid detection, and may thus be approach- 

 ed and killed with a charge of No. 7 shot. 



It lays two large eggs, of a reddish-olive ground, spotted with 

 brown and indistinct purple blotches : axis, 3" ; diameter, 2" 2"\ 



Capt. Bulger, of H. M.'a 10th Regt., thus writes of two young birds 

 in his possession : — " Feb. 9, 1864. Batho had two young Paauios 

 give him to-day. I have no idea what their age is ; but they are as 

 large as a chicken, and completely feathered. Their irides are a 

 light-yellowish brown. They make a most extraordinary low, plain- 

 tive noise, like one of the high notes on a glass flute, or stUl more 

 like the sound produced by moving your finger rapidly round the 

 rim of a tumbler : their note is a semitone so soft and sweet, that it is 

 almost impossible to imitate it. They also make a sort of clucking or 

 barking noise, apparently when alarmed. As yet they have voluntarily 

 eaten nothing. Batho took them out in the garden, and one of them 

 immediately squatted like a partridge ; the other wandered about/' 



542. Eupodotes Ludwigii, Riippeii, Mus. Senck. 



1837, t. 14 ; Otis Colei, A. Smith. 



6 , in full plumage : general coloui* of back, ochraceous, 

 profusely variegated with minute dark-brown wavy lines ; 

 top of head black ; eyebrows and chin white; front of neck 

 and chest white, tinged more or le*ss with slate-colour ; rujff 

 at back and side of neck rufous, under parts white; wings, 

 when closed, appear mottled black and white ; tail white, 

 with four broad black bars ; legs an^i bill yellow. Length, 

 3' 6" ; wing, 23"; tail, 13". 



9 much resembles the male, except that she is smaller, 

 has only a coronal of black round her head, and is altogether 

 less highly coloured. 



This Bustard comes to us in its migrations, apparently from the 

 Westward ; at least most of them that I have seen have been procured 

 on the north-western side of Cape Town. In its habits it resembles 

 the preceding species — its eggs, two in number, are similar in size and 

 appearance to those of E. Caffra, but are usually of a lighter and 

 greener ground. 



543. Eupodotis Scolopacea. (Tem.) pi. Coi. 



576 ; 0. Torquata, Cuv. ; Otis Vigorsii, Smith, Less. 

 Proc. Z., 5, 1830, p. 11 ; Vaal-Knorhaan of Colonists. 



General colour, cinereous, here and there passing into rufous, 

 minutely mottled with dark-brown and black ; quill-feathers 

 black, with the inner webs more or less isabella-coloured ; 



