PLOVERS AND LAPWINGS 221 



Courser in habits, and, as already stated, they may often 

 be found in one another's company. 



We discovered it to be fairly common in the Maroka and 

 Brandfort districts of the Orange Free State. It is never 

 found in such large parties as the Kufous Courser, being 

 usually in pairs or fours. 



It lays on the bare ground a single egg, which is pale 

 yellow streaked with yellowish-brown. 



Two more species are found in South Africa, but they 

 are uncommon, although one, the Bronze-winged Courser 

 {B. chalcopterus), has repeatedly been seen ia the Pretoria 

 district of late. Its chief characterisitic, the beautiful 

 metallic purplish spots at the end of the flight feathers, is 

 sufficient to distinguish it. 



PLOYERS AND LAPWINGS 



Only a few members of the Family CharadridsB can, with 

 justice, be termed " ornaments of the veld," the greater 

 number being water-loving birds, which wiU be found in 

 another chapter. 



The Blacksmith Plover {Hoplopterus annatus) has the 

 fore part of the head, base of neck, sides of body, abdomen, 

 upper and under taU-coverts white ; wings grey ; rest of 

 plumage black. Length, 12 inches. 



It ranges from the Central Cape Colony to the Zambesi. 

 It is seldom found far from water, frequenting the neigh- 

 bourhood of swamps and vleis. In the Orange Free 

 State it is not uncommon near the dams and vleis, where 

 its peculiar metallic call (from which its trivial name is 

 derived) may often be heard during the day or on moonlight 

 nights. 



