12 THE CONDOR Vol. X 



tioii is an experience not much dissimilar to that of a hailstorm, the insects actually 

 striking one's face with a violence almost painful. It is a fact of common observa- 

 tion that birds carefully avoid becoming entangled in a swarm of locusts, attacking 

 the moving mass only from the rear and then only effectually w^hen the swarm is 

 small or gets subdivided. The insect itself soon seems to realize that it is being 

 hunted and seeks to take cover either by dropping suddenly into the long grass or, 

 as in the case of Voetgangers, creeping beneath clods of earth, stones or such 

 cover. 



It is very interesting to see a covey of birds following the line of fire, as the 

 grass, fired by the natives to increase its growth, wends its way like a huge serpent 

 across the veldt and kopjes. The heat naturally drives the insects from cover, and 

 they become easy prey to the birds. The Glareola (Nordmann's Prantincole) or as 

 the farmers call it, the small locust bird, is par excellence the leading species in the 

 destruction of the locust. This bird is somewhat larger than a cowbird or oriole: 

 back greyish shading away into the belly which is nearly white; the throat is 

 brownish mottled and separated from the chest by a collar of dark brown or grey. 

 The play of color observable when the bird is flying is owing to the fact that the 

 upper surface of the wings is greyish or black while the underside is light or almost 

 white. 



The birds appear in large flocks about this season of the year, which you will 

 remember is the South African spring time, and, as Mr. Thomsen reports, display 

 a most marked method of attack. Thomsen says: "The birds get on the wing as 

 if by word of command and fly and whirl round and round rising higher and 

 higher till the swarm looks like an immense dust-cloud rushing skywards." Once 

 a swarm of locusts is sighted they break away from their formation, follow up the 

 insects and, flying in amongst them, greedily seize the body, while the wings and 

 legs, being neglected, fall in countless numbers upon the ground. The attack is 

 kept up with great determination until either the swarm is destroyed or its broken 

 sections seek cover in the long grass or rocky soil. 



The Glareola are birds of ancient history, being figured in the hieroglyphs of 

 Kgypt, and it is not unlikely that the children of Israel had fricassed "Locust 

 Birds" when the Transvaal was an inland sea and the great divide of the Drachens- 

 berg formed the barrier line of the Indian Ocean. 



Storks, the White-bellied {Abdimia ahdiniii) and the European i^Ciconia 

 alba) are both locust eaters of repute. I have seen these birds in abundance in the 

 Rustenberg district, a most charming region, well watered and abounding in park- 

 like glades and rich pasturage. In the spring when the young grass is rich in 

 verdure the big bird with its white plumage, black wings, scarlet beak and red legs, 

 becomes a very conspicuous sight and proves a subject of much interest as it rushes 

 hither and thither after the nimble Voetganger or the more adult Springhaan, as 

 the Boer names the full}^ winged locust. The White-bellied Stork is possibly more 

 numerous than his above-named relative and a large flock seen at a distance is not 

 infrequently taken for a herd of sheep. 



Once when passing thru the Marico district a bird was pointed out to us as one 

 of the locust birds. I am satisfied since reading Mr. Thomsen's report that it was 

 one of the starlings, probably the Wattled Starling {Dilophus caruncullatus) . At 

 this interval it is difficult to recall its description but that of Thomsen is ver}^ dis- 

 tinct. This bird, like the Glareola, is about the size of a cowbird, greyish brown 

 all over; the wings and tail very dark with a greenish sheen upon them. The 

 underpart of the abdomen and undertail coverts are a very pale greyish brown; 

 around the eyes there is a bright yellow patch; on the throat of the males are two 



