in Zululand, with Notes on its Birds. 403 



toosi river, which about two miles from its nioiith foriiis a 

 lake of considerable size. Amongst tliese rocks are often 

 found tlie graceful liitle klipspringer (Oreotruffu-^ saltator). 

 It has a beautiful thick grey fur and large eyes, and we have 

 ?een it very tame in confinement. Rock rabbits {Hyrax 

 citpensis) are very numerous here ; we have kept these 

 animals in boxes, but they don't seem to get very tame. 

 The Cape '^ jumping hare " {Pedetes caffer), the " Itenashi " 

 of the Kafirs, and large troops of baboons, as well as a few 

 leopards, are found here. The latter we often heard roaring 

 during the winter nights when they were in pursuit of their 

 prey. 



There was a large roosting- pi ace of the ''Hadidah" or 

 Hagedash Ibis {Geronticns /lagedcish)^ near our encampment, 

 and when we were short of meat we had only to go there after 

 dark and shoot a brace. This bird derives its name from its 

 peculiar cry of " /la-ha-hadadah," with which it makes the 

 woods resound. Its voice can be heard a long distance oft\ 

 and harmonizes well with the grand scenery amongst which 

 it dwells. They assemble in small flocks along most of the 

 rivers, but used to be more common in Natal than they are 

 now : we have seen as many as fifty birds roosting on one or 

 two trees overhanging the Ifafa river. The flesh of the 

 Hadidah is excellent eating, and it certainly ought to be 

 protected during the breeding-season. One safeguard this 

 bird has is that the natives will not touch its flesh. When 

 taken young this Ibis can be easily tamed : we have had 

 them walking about the place quite content amongst the 

 poultry, but as they grow old they are apt to wander unless 

 confined. We fed them on meal, bread, &c., although in 

 their wild state they appear to live entirely on insects and 

 reptiles. At the breeding-season they separate and go in 

 pairs, making a large nest of sticks, in which they lay from 

 three to five eggs. When plucked this bird is less than a 

 duck in size; but its long neck and wings give it the 

 appearance of a much larger bird. 



We did not find a great variety of bush-birds here. The 

 Louric or Touracou, so common in Natal, is scarce here, as 



