GAME-BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA 



When they were let out of their run into the garden — 

 which only occurred when there was someone by them to 

 be on the look-out for strange dogs — a favourite trick of 

 theirs was to make a dash for the nearest flat stone 

 bordering the flower beds and to wait beside it, stamping 

 impatiently until it was turned over, when there was a rush 

 for any grubs, beetles or stone cockroaches that lay beneath 

 it ; then off to the next stone — over with that and down 

 with a delectable little scorpion ! 



When the garden was still in the process of making, 

 these two were a serious impediment to the gardener. They 

 thought he was employed to turn over stones for their special 

 benefit, and the unfortunate man could scarcely get his pick 

 under a stone before their eager little beaks were under it too. 



Mr. Sclater states that it is rather a scarce bird, but 

 although I have never seen many at a time I fancy it is pretty 

 widely distributed over the Orange River Colony. On the 

 majority of mornings when out on shooting trips the first 

 sound to reach my ears was the clear ringing cry of " Knock- 

 me-down, Knock-me-down, -me-down-me-down ! " that the 

 cock bird gives vent to at dawn. 



I have seen dead birds for sale at the game-market in 

 Bloemfontein in some numbers. They have generally been 

 killed with a bullet, and this hardly bears out Mr. Millais's 

 experience that the bird is tame and unsuspicious. Not 

 that I would doubt Mr. Millais's experience of them, but 

 I found them — in the Orange River Colony at any rate — 

 extremely wild and very well able to take care of themselves. 



You may see them and try to stalk them, but at two 

 hundred yards the slim, graceful, blue neck stiffens, the 

 banded chestnut-and-white wings open, and with a mocking 



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