1O8 SOME BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA 



and two feet thick. The nest shown in the illustration 

 was so substantial that I was able to place my camera 

 upon it and also to bear most of my weight on it at 

 the same time. This nest was situated on the Cape 

 Flats, and was placed on the very top of a low Scotch 

 fir tree about twenty feet in height. The two eggs 

 were of a dingy white, with only the faintest markings 

 of deep red ; they must have been nearly hatched at 

 the beginning of October, as the young birds left the 

 nest early in February. One would naturally think 

 such large nests as these would be very conspicuous 

 from a distance, but in the case of each nest that we 

 found, it was impossible to detect it unless one were 

 standing beneath the tree at the time. The bird that 

 had eggs showed a considerable amount of cunning, for 

 it remained on the nest until we were underneath the 

 tree, when it flew off, showing an enormous expanse 

 of wing, sailing at first, then flapping, then sailing, as 

 it gradually disappeared from view. While we were 

 photographing the nest one of the birds showed itself 

 in the air, soaring at a great altitude. These are, 

 perhaps, among the most extraordinary birds to be 

 found in South Africa, having the habits, and some of 

 the appearance, of a Crane, with many of the distin- 

 guishing features of a bird of prey. Their reputation 

 for killing snakes has secured for them Government 

 protection, and a fine of five pounds is imposed upon 

 any one convicted of killing them, though I imagine 

 that for the most part they prey on frogs and such like 

 reptiles. It is said in the Colony that only one pair 

 of birds will inhabit a tract of country within a radius of 

 ten miles or so from the nest and that they drive any 



