284 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 



sea-coast, where its place is supplied by K Ludwigii. The food of 

 the two species is similar seeds, insects, and small reptilia ; nor is 

 there any difference in their habits, both frequenting open plains. 

 The males when " playing " before the females, expand the feathers of 

 the throat and strut about, uttering a loud booming noise, which can 

 be heard at a great distance. Like E. Scolopacea, they will squat and 

 lie close to the ground, to avoid detection, and may thus be approach- 

 ed and killed with a charge of No. 7 shot. 



It lays two large eggs, of a reddish-olive ground, spotted with 

 brown and indistinct purple blotches : axis, 3" ; diameter, 2" 2'". 



Capt. Bulger, of H. M.'s 10th Eegt., thus writes of two young birds 

 in his possession : " Feb. 9, 1864. Batho had two young Paauws 

 give him to-day. I have no idea what their age is ; but they are as 

 large as a chicken, and completely feathered. Their irides are a 

 light-yellowish brown. They make a most extraordinary low, plain- 

 tive noise, like one of the high notes on a glass flute, or still more 

 like the sound produced by moving your finger rapidly round the 

 rim of a tumbler : their note is a semitone so soft and sweet, that it is 

 almost impossible to imitate it. They also make a sort of clucking or 

 barking noise, apparently when alarmed. As yet they have voluntarily 

 eaten nothing. Batho took them out in the garden, and one of them 

 immediately squatted like a partridge ; the other wandered about/' 



542. Eupodotes Ludwigii, Ruppell, Mus. Senck. 

 1837, t. 14 ; Otis Colei, A. Smith. 



6 , in full plumage : general colour of back, ochraceous, 

 profusely variegated with minute dark-brown wavy lines ; 

 top of head black ; eyebrows and chin white; front of neck 

 and chest white, tinged more or less with slate-colour ; ruff 

 at back and side of neck rufous, under parts white; wings, 

 when closed, appear mottled black and white ; tail white, 

 with four broad black bars ; legs and bill yellow. Length, 

 3' 6" ; wing, 23"; tail, 13". 



9 much resembles the male, except that she is smaller, 

 has only a coronal of black round her head, and is altogether 

 less highly coloured. 



This Bustard comes to us in its migrations, apparently from the 

 Westward ; at least most of them that I have seen have been procured 

 on the north-western side of Cape Town. In its habits it resembles 

 the preceding species its eggs, two in number, are similar in size and 

 appearance to those of E. Caffra, but" are usually of a lighter and 

 greener ground. 



543. Eupodotis Scolopacea. (Tem.) PI. Coi. 



576 ; 0. Torquata, Guv.; Otis Vigorsii, Smith, Less. 



Proc. Z., 5, 1830, p. 11 ; Vaal-Knorhaan of Colonists. 

 GENERAL colour, cinereous, here and there passing into rufous, 

 minutely mottled with dark-brown and black ; quill-feathers 

 black, with the inner webs more or less Isabella-coloured ; 



