

N A MA QUA PARTRIDGES. 95 



overgrown with wondrous parasites, gorgeous in 

 colour, luxuriant in a superabundance of foliage ; 

 behind it, on the shadow side, where there must 

 have been protection from the sun during all but 

 the midday hours, I expected to find a prize. With 

 anxious and keen eye I looked over the barrier for 

 some minutes, yet I saw not what I sought, but at 

 length, by slow degrees, became convinced that I 

 was gazing upon something gifted with life and also 

 powers of motion. Concentrating all my powers of 

 vision upon the unknown object, I was not long in 

 defining what it was. The ground, although not 

 bare, still was not sufficiently densely covered with 

 herbage to prevent me distinctly observing the 

 length and breadth of a very large puff-adder. I 

 have seen many of these loathsome reptiles, for on 

 the southern edge of tropical South Africa they are 

 in some localities very abundant, but I much doubt 

 if I had ever observed one of such large proportions. 

 From the stealthy, slow way that the snake moved 

 forward, I deemed that it was not alarmed, but in 

 pursuit of prey, so I steadily gazed in front of its 

 course, to learn, if possible, what was its intended 

 victim. For some time my effort was unrewarded, 

 but ultimately I discerned two sand-grouse (Nama- 

 qua partridge) dusting themselves in a little indenta- 

 tion they had scratched in the soil, which, from their 

 manner, were obviously alike ignorant of my intru- 

 sion or their enemy's proximity. Poor little beauties, 



