less likely to be seen from a distance. As we got near 

 the better cover there was a rasping, squawky cry 



in a cockatoo's voice, " Go 'way ; go 'way ; go' way ! " 

 -and one of those ugly big-beaked Go 'way birds came 



sailing up from behind and flapped on to the trees 

 we were making for. No doubt they have another 

 name, but in the Bushveld they were known as Go 

 'way birds, because of this cry and because they are 

 supposed to warn the game when an enemy is coming. 

 But they are not like the tick bird or the rhinoceros 

 bird, who stick close to their friends and as soon as 

 they see or hear anything suspicious flutter straight 

 up filling the air with twittering cries of alarm ; the 

 Go 'way birds do not feed on ticks and have nothing 

 to do with the game ; you find them where there is 

 no game, and it always seemed to me that it is not 

 concern for the game at all, but simply a combination 

 of vulgar curiosity, disagreeableness and bad manners, 

 that makes them interfere as they do. 



The reason why I do not believe the Go 'way birds 

 care a rap about the game and only want to worry 

 you is that often one of them will make up its mind 

 to stick to you, and you can turn twist and double 

 as many ways as you like, but as soon as you begin 

 to walk on again the wretched thing will fly over your 

 head and perch twenty yards or so in front of you, 

 screeching out " Go 'way " at the top of its voice. 

 There it will sit ready to fly off again as you come on, 

 its ugly head on one side and big hooked bill like an 

 aggressive nose, watching you mercilessly, as vigilant 

 as a hungry fowl and as cross as a tired nurse in a big 



132 



