OTHXE OTIS 291 



beneath the sides of the breast mottled like the back, below which 

 are two patches of pure white ; rest of the lower surface, including 

 the undersides of the wings and tail, black. 



Iris yellow to light creamy-buff; bill ashy, dusky on the culmen, 

 yellowish at the base ; tarsi and feet nearly white. 



Length about 20 ; wing 10-45 ; tail 5*5 ; culmen 1-3 ; tarsus 3-0. 



In the female the crown is dark brown, with large spots of sandy 

 rufous, the occipital region ashy, freckled with sandy rufous without 

 crest ; eyebrow isabelline-buff ; cheeks and throat white, without 

 the mesial band of black ; neck and chest brown mottled with 

 sandy-buff spots and markings, with a few lines of black ; a broad 

 band of white across the chest. 



The vinous-coloured crest of the male fades in old skins, espe- 

 cially when exposed to light, to a yellow or white. 



Mr. Bryden remarks that the whole of the soft, fluffy, under 

 portion of the feathers of this bird is of a delicate rufous pink tinge, 

 as is also the skin ; this fades quickly after death. 



Distribution. This Knorhaan was first obtained by Smith 

 at Latakoo, near Kuruman ; it has been noticed in the Orange 

 Kiver Valley by Bradshaw, but does not seem to be found to the 

 south of that river, although an example, stated to have been 

 obtained by Arnot in the Albany district, is preserved in the South 

 African Museum. It extends northwards through the Transvaal 

 to Benguela in the west and to Ehodesia in the east, but is not yet 

 known from Nyasaland. 



The following are recorded localities : Cape Colony Orange 

 Eiver Valley (Bradshaw), Koning, near Kuruman (Eriksson, in 

 S. A. Museum), Matapling Eiver, near Mafeking (Bryden) ; Trans- 

 vaal Elands Eiver and Limpopo Eiver in Eustenburg and Marico 

 districts (Ayres), Sabi Eiver in Lydenburg (Francis, in S. A. Mus) ; 

 Zoutspansberg district (Millais), Swaziland and Barberton (Gil- 

 fillan); Bechuanaland Kanye (Exton), Botletli Eiver (Bryden), 

 N garni region (Chapman and Fleck) ; Ehodesia Bulawayo and 

 Umfuli Eiver (Ayres) ; German South-west Africa Great Namaqua- 

 land and South Damaraland (Andersson), Eeheboth, Awasberg and 

 Okavango (Fleck). 



Habits. The Eed-crested Knorhaan is found singly or in pairs, 

 chiefly in bush or forest country ; it rises from the ground swiftly 

 and noiselessly, and flies off at a rapid rate, dodging in and out 

 among the trees and bushes, so that it is a good sporting bird. 

 Its note is a melancholy " goo goo," frequently repeated, while 



