GAME-BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA 



shout of " Knock-me-down," he is off for ten miles or more. 



In May, 1905, the cock of my pair started his wild caU- 

 note, to which he always treated us when first let out of 

 his house in the morning. He was an excellent indicator of 

 early or late rising on the part of the Kaffirs, whose first 

 duty it was to let the Knorhaan out into their run. 



In December of the same year both my birds had got 

 their plumage in the most beautiful order and were masters 

 of the companions we had added to their run, i.e. some 

 Stanley Cranes and Spur-winged and Egyptian Geese, while 

 a Buff-backed Heron that was flying at hach around the 

 garden was always a great source of distraction to them, 

 their object being to keep him on the wing. Like most 

 bullies they were cowards at heart, and a hen with chickens 

 sent them shouting off in very quick time. 



It was always an amusement to us to drive them across 

 the garden to the pigeon-house and then to drive the pigeons 

 out of it and straight at them. This invariably caused 

 consternation mingled with horror. The little pair would 

 stand rooted to the ground with wide-open beaks and out- 

 spread wings — the hen would utter a loud squawk, the cock 

 would hoarsely shout his " Knock-me-down," — and then 

 they would turn taU and run, with that mincing, pattering, 

 and amazingly swift gait of theirs. 



In January, 1906, when the birds were just under a year 

 old, I observed that their legs were changing to a yellowish 

 colour, and I have no doubt that these birds take at least 

 two years to become fully adult. 



In February, I regret to say that the hen bird was 

 murdered in the garden by a neighbour's dog. We rescued 

 her just alive, poor thing, and sewed up the dreadful wound 



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