22 ANIMAL LIFE IN AFRICA 



wet summers the birds disappear altogether from their 

 usual haunts, while, if there is only a small rainfall, 

 they remain throughout. For instance, during the 

 summer of 1906-7, which was very wet, I do not recollect 

 having noticed any, while in the following one, which 

 proved extremely dry, they were present all the time. 

 In 1908-9, again, little rain fell before Christmas, and 

 plenty of sandgrouse were seen, but they disappeared 

 as soon as the heavy rains began in January. After a 

 couple of weeks of dry weather in the middle of the rains 

 I have noticed their reappearance, so that I fancy they 

 do not remove farther than perhaps, the higher and drier 

 sand-ridges, where they are less likely, under ordinary 

 circumstances, to be encountered. 



They are normally seen in pairs ; sometimes a con- 

 siderable number will be noticed feeding, or resting 

 in the heat of the day under trees, but when disturbed 

 they always break up into couples. In the gloaming, 

 between sunset and dark, they assemble at the drinking- 

 places in flocks, sometimes of hundreds. Scuttling 

 about on the sand, they utter their queer little crooning 

 song of seven notes, playing and chasing each other. 

 They remain as a rule but a few minutes, and then, as 

 night closes in, come speeding back with a whirr of wings, 

 and at a tremendous pace. In fact, whether when pro- 

 ceeding to, or departing from, the water, the speed at 

 which they travel, coupled with the uncertain light, 

 makes this form of shooting one of the most difficult 

 possible. When flushed by day the pairs get up very 

 suddenly and quietly, and fly fast, with a rather zigzag 

 flight. 



I found a nest in the country north of the Sabi on 

 April 30. It was merely a little depression scraped in 

 the dust, and absolutely in the open ; there was no 



