CURSORIUS RUFUS. 653 
Fam. CHARADRIIDZ. 
624. Cursorius rurus, Gould. Burchell’s Courser. 
Cursorius burchelli, Layard, B. 8. Afr. p. 289. 
This and C. bicinctus are not uncommon in the Karroo, in the 
neighbourhood of Nel’s Poort and Beaufort. They are usually seen 
in small flocks, varying in number from five to twenty or more, 
running along with great rapidity between the tufts of stunted 
herbage which cover these extensive plains. They have a curious 
habit of swaying themselves to and fro on their long thin legs, when 
halting after a run, as if they had overshot themselves, and were 
trying to recover their balance. They feed on seeds and small 
insects. Mr. Ortlepp says, “‘In summer I have often seen them 
perch on small bushes, but I believe this was done for the sake of 
taking their feet off the burning hot ground.” 
Specimens have also been sent from Colesberg, and Mr. Rickard 
has procured the species at Port Elizabeth, while we are informed 
by Capt. Trevelyan that near Kingwilliamstown it is migratory and 
not uncommon. Mr. T. C. Atmore met with them near Hopetown 
in May, 1871. 
In Natal it is recorded by Majors Butler and Feilden and Capt. 
Reid as extremely common all over the Veldt, in pairs and small 
flocks, apparently breeding in November. Near Potchefstroom it 
is common, according to Mr. Ayres, in flocks in winter, and the 
same gentleman says that near Rustenberg it is not nearly so 
common as in the Potchefstroom district, but a few are occasionally 
to be met with. 
Sides of neck and fore part of head rufous; nape cinereous ; 
crown bordered (behind the eye) with a pointed white collar, 
margined by black; upper and under plumage fawn-coloured ; 
rump cinereous ; tail the same, the outermost feather more or less 
white ; two next with a black bar and white tip, the rest tipped 
with black only ; chin, vent, and thighs white; legs clothed with 
white scales; in the centre of the belly, a blackish patch ; larger 
wing-feathers, black, the rest broadly tipped with white, which 
appears most when the bird is on the wing. Length, 7’ 4"; wing, 
Ata 3 taal dh Or 
Fig. Gould, Icones Avium, pl. 10. 
