GAJHE'BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA 



Mr. Millais, in his fine work, A Breath froyn the Veldt, 

 gives a beautiful representation of a singular habit he noticed 

 in relation to this bird : " Every evening towards sunset it 

 rises from the earth, and mounting perpendicularly into 

 the air to a height of from 100 to 200 feet it closes its wings 

 and drops head first to the earth, only opening its wings 

 to break its fall when within a few feet of the ground. I 

 am not sure whether this display is sexual or not, but it is 

 most probably a warning or a challenge to other males in 

 the neighbourhood." 



Mr. Sclater says that two eggs of this bird found by 

 Ayres in November near Buluwayo were shaped like those 

 of a Plover, being much pointed at one end. They were 

 coloured greyish creamy-white, much spotted and blotched 

 with dark umber. They measured 2.25 by 1.5 in. and 2.0 

 by 1.5 in. respectively, but I do not think they were normally 

 shaped, as Bustard's eggs are seldom so pointed. 



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