NATURE AND SPORT IN BRITAIN 



Only a year or two back one of these fine birds was 

 seen in Sussex, between Brede and Rye, and, for a 

 wonder, was not shot. The white stork migrates to 

 South Africa, and is there known as the great locust 

 bird, from its devotion to the swarms of locusts upon 

 which, with many other kinds of bird, it delights to 

 prey. It breeds also in South Africa, and has the good 

 sense to place its nest in the vicinity of swarms of young 

 locusts, which thus furnish food for the young birds. 

 The fact of its nesting in Central Europe as well as in 

 South Africa supports the theory that certain migratory 

 birds nest twice in the year, north and south of the 

 equator. 



Few English people probably are aware that our 

 common heron is well known in South Africa. Yet 

 such is the case. It is curious that at the Cape these 

 herons, instead of building in trees as in Europe, often 

 make their nests among tufts of grass and rushes sur- 

 rounded by water. The beautiful purple heron and the 

 squacco heron, which are classed among the rarer 

 British birds, are also found in Southern Africa. 



The lesser egret (Ardea garzetta), now a rare British 

 bird, is fairly common in South Africa, especially 

 towards the lake and river regions of the interior. 

 These lovely birds, with their snowy habiliments and 

 long plumes, are often found in presence of large game, 

 and may be seen where buffaloes are plentiful, perching 

 upon the backs and withers of these animals in the most 

 unconcerned fashion. The buffalo on his part seems to 

 have no objection to the companionship. Yet other 

 British birds of the heron family found south of the 

 Zambesi are the bittern, little bittern, and night heron. 

 The bittern, which once bred freely among the marshes 

 of the dreary fen country, is known to the Boers of 

 South Africa as the roerdomp. 



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