130 ANSEEES ALOPOCHEN 



Limpopo Eiver (Buckley and Eriksson) ; Ehodesia — Upper Zambesi 

 (Bradshaw and Livingstone), Mashonaland (Ayres) : German 

 South-west Africa — Great Namaqualand and Damaraland, common 

 resident (Andersson) ; Zambesi (Kirk and Alexander). 



Habits — The Berg Gans, or as it is generally called in Europe, 

 the Egyptian Goose, has been known from remote antiquity ; it is 

 often figured on the monuments of ancient Egypt, where it was. 

 domesticated, and although not itself sacred was the emblem of 

 Seb, the father of Osiris. It was well known to the Greeks, from 

 whom it obtained the name of Chenalopex (i.e., Pox Goose), possi- 

 bly on account of its colour, or perhaps because it was supposed to 

 build in burrows, a habit more strictly attributed to the Sheldrakes. 



In South Africa it is, as a rule, found alone or in pairs, though 

 at certain seasons of the year large numbers assemble at the 

 vleis to breed and moult their flight feathers. It is a shy and wary 

 bird, feeding early and late on grassland, and retiring to roost at 

 night among thick rushes. Its cry is described by Andersson as 

 a " barking quack," and is heard when the bird is on the wing. 

 The flesh is dark, coarse and unpalatable. 



In a choice of a breeding site the Berg Gans shows considerable 

 differences; sometimes the nest is placed among thick rushes on 

 the ground, at other times in a hollow tree standing near a river 

 bank, while Mr. Atmore relates that he came across nests built on 

 broad ledges of rock 200 feet above the banks of the Gouritz Eiver 

 in the Mossel Bay district, and that this site was amicably shared 

 with numerous Vultures {Gyps kolbii) ; Eriksson found a nest on a 

 small island in the Limpopo Eiver on the 17th of September ; it was 

 thickly lined with down and contained eight eggs much incubated. 

 There are two eggs of this species in the South African Museum, 

 obtained by Mr. Bradshaw on October 28th, from a nest built on an 

 island in the Orange Eiver near Upington ; the number of eggs 

 found was five, and they are described as having been quite fresh. 

 They are pure white, smooth, and somewhat shiny, and small for 

 the size of the bird, measuring 265 x 1-85. 



This bird is well known in Zoological Gardens, and has been 

 more or less acclimatised in England, where it may sometimes be 

 seen on ornamental waters. It has frequently hybridised with the 

 Spur-winged Goose, and even occasionally with the Mallard. 



