GAIHE-BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA 



but in one instance I saw the bird fly round in a circle, and 

 returning hover over the nest as if she wanted to secure them 

 before leaving, although I was within 20 yards in a punt at 

 the time. This idea seemed at first sight a httle too 

 ' intelligent,' but the following will show that the above is 

 quite probable : I had noticed a Widgeon [Teal] several 

 times flying round a certam island, and both myself and my 

 companion were sure that there was a nest there. We hunted 

 everywhere, but found only one Ukely egg, and that broken 

 open and quite fresh. Days later I stumbled on the nest 

 containing nine Widgeon's eggs and one old Berg Gans' egg 

 (Alapochen aegyptiacus) under a very thick bush. I was 

 watching a nest at the time belonging to some Gull, and used 

 to come and have a look at it every now and then. Each 

 time I landed on the island the Widgeon left her nest a few 

 minutes after my arrival, and on each occasion the eggs -were 

 covered over carefully. Eventually I was watching her on 

 her nest, and was within 10 feet of her. She was asleep or 

 dozing, and did not mind me at all. I opened my camera 

 to take a photograph of her. This startled her and she 

 left the nest. The eggs were uncovered, the ring of doA\n 

 being all round them. This nest was on the site of an old 

 Goose nest. The eggs were resting on the down and feathers, 

 which had evidently been the old Goose nest, hence the old 

 Goose egg which was included in her sitting. 



" The cock bird does not, I think, take any part in incuba- 

 tion. The hens' breasts are picked quite bare of down, but 

 the contour-feathers are not picked out. The cock bird's 

 breasts show no signs of this. One meets single cock birds 

 scattered about on the dam, and sometimes can get near 

 enough to shoot one. I have never found a hen alone. Before 

 I realized that they were breeding I shot several birds, and 



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