328 GUINEA-FOWLS— BUSTARDS 



the blue-helmeted, the yellow-helmeted, and the 

 crested varieties. Of these the last named is by 

 far the handsomest. There is at all times of year 

 a wonderfully bright, almost metallic, sheen on 

 his dark, steely-grey feathers, but during the 

 spring and early summer his brilliancy of plumage 

 seems to redouble, an effective majestic touch 

 being imparted by the glossy, jet-black crest of 

 feathers which adorns his shapely head. I do 

 not think the crested variety is quite so delicate 

 a table bird, nor does he reach to quite the 

 generous dimensions of his plainer kinsfolk ; 

 what is lacked in size and succulence is almost 

 atoned for in brilliance and beauty. 



The bustards are not very numerous. The 

 only one I have obtained — or indeed seen — 

 being the handsome, black-bellied type ; yet, 

 when it is remembered that in portions of the 

 country not very far south of the area we are 

 considering there are at least six or seven others, 

 not to mention the enormous giant bustard, which 

 will often turn the scale at five-and-forty pounds, 

 it would appear highly probable that, however 

 sparsely, some of these may have penetrated 

 to the banks of the Zambezi. 



Bustards are most frequently seen in grassy 

 glades in the early morning and late afternoon. 

 They are extremely shy, and are most frequently 

 flushed within range when one is unprepared 

 for the opportunity. I came very near to losing 

 one of the few of these birds which I have shot 

 through the larcenous propensities of a white- 

 throated fishing eagle one evening while awaiting 



