738 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 
round the eyes, bare, black ; legs black. Length, 2’ 6”; wing, 153’; 
tail, 7”. 
Fig. Cory, Beautiful and Curious Birds, part vii. 
714. Geronzicus catyus (Bodd.). Bald Ibis. 
The Wilde Kalkoen (wild-turkey) of Dutch colonists is not rare 
on tke eastern frontier; but seldom appears to the westward. We 
are told it is a very foul feeder, frequenting the neighbourhood of 
native villages, and acting the part of scavenger. It thrives well in 
confinement, and becomes very tame. One in the possession of His 
Excellency Sir George Grey was at large in the Government Gardens; 
he walked with great rapidity, and was always seeking for food, 
probing the ground with his long curved bill, and drawing thence 
the large earth-worms, which he swallowed at a gulp. Mr. Albert 
Vigne shot a fine female at Tygerhoek, on the River Zonder End, 
near Caledon, in February, 1866. Mr. Ortlepp says, ‘ Specimens 
that I have shot had their stomachs filled with caterpillars and 
beetles; it breeds in cliffs.” Mr. Ayres gives the following note 
from Natal: ‘These birds feed entirely on insects, principally 
beetles. They frequent the open country, and are invariably to be 
found on land from which the grass has been burnt; they live 
principally inland, where they are very numerous, but gradually 
approach the coast during the winter months. I have not seen them 
nearer the sea than eight or ten miles; they are exceedingly wary, 
and it is a difficult matter to get within shot of them, as they generally 
prefer the bare open plains, without cover, to feed on: they walk 
about very fast, and are constantly on the move from morning till 
night. I imagine they must eat a great quantity of food, for they 
are always in search it—not resting now and then, as all reasonable 
birds do; they seem to have no time at all for amusement.” Majors 
Butler and Feilden and Capt. Reid write as follows: ‘We were 
somewhat astonished to hear that wild Turkeys were to be found in 
the country on our first arrival, and equally astonished to find out 
what was intended by the same. They are not uncommon near 
Neweastle, several specimens being obtained in the winter. Reid 
shot a lovely one at the Ingagane on the 7th July, and saw others 
there ; he also observed them, paired, at Rorke’s Drift on the 3rd 
October. They breed on the steep banks of the Buffalo or its 
