408 LARGE GAME. CHAP. ix. 



eastern province of the Cape Colony. Shy and wary in 

 the extreme, and principally frequenting the great treeless 

 plains and deserts in the north, it is a bird that affords 

 but little sport to the hunter, seldom offering him a shot, 

 and requiring an unusually fast horse to ride it down, and 

 having mentioned its name, I will at once pass on to 

 those more likely to be met with, and therefore more 

 deserving of notice. 



Next in size to these giants comes the pauw, a species 

 of bustard. Under this name, which was given by the 

 Dutch colonists, and means peacock to which bird, how- 

 ever, it does not bear the faintest resemblance are 

 included three well-defined species, viz., Supodis cristata, 

 E. caffra, and E. Ludwigii. The former, commonly called 

 the crested pauw, from the immense top-knot it carries, 

 is of great size, some specimens even weighing as much 

 as fifty pounds, and measuring from fifty-six to sixty 

 inches. They are not common, being seldom, if ever, seen 

 in the more populous districts, and only found in sparse 

 numbers in the spots they most frequent, which are 

 generally districts dotted over with thin and scattered 

 thorn-trees. The most that I have ever killed in a day 

 is five, and four out of that number were scarcely full- 

 grown birds. Shot I found of little use ; but as they 

 will often allow one to get within fifty yards, their great 

 size renders them easy marks, even when a bullet is used. 

 Mr. Layard, indeed, when speaking of the common pauw 

 (E. caffra), mentions having killed them with No. 7 shot, 

 but the following extract from my journal will show that 

 my experience has been very different, as regards the larger 

 species at least : " I got a shot at a crested pauw to-day, 



