296 OTID^ OTIS 



often seen, and are not so loud-voiced, endeavour to escape danger 

 by concealing themselves. The food consists of insects, small 

 reptiles, worms, and vegetable matter. In the early morning 

 they are often seen perched on an ant heap sunning themselves. 

 Andersson found two nests in January at Omapju in Damaraland. 



The nest consists merely of a depression in the ground, usually 

 sheltered by a long tuft of grass, and the eggs are two in number. 

 Eggs in the South African Museum resemble those of the Black 

 Knorhaan, but appear a little smaller ; a clutch taken by Major 

 Sparrow at Kaalfontein in the Lindley district of the Orange Eiver 

 Colony on November 25 are brown or greenish-brown, moderately 

 blotched with spots of darker brown. They measure 2-05 x 1'65. 



693. Otis Yigorsi. Vaal Knorhaan. 



Otis vigorsi, Smith, P. Z. S. 1830, p. 11 ; Bryden, Kloof and Karoo, 



p. 320 (1889) ; Beichenow, Vog. Afr. i, p. 248 (1900). 

 Otis scolopaoea, Temm. PI. Col. v, pi. 576 (1885) ; Sharpe, ed. L<M/ard's 



B. S. Afr. pp. 637, 854 (1884) ; Nicolls andEglington, Sportsm. S. Afr. 



p. 117, fig. 45 (1892) ; Brijden, Gun and Camera, p. 480 (1893) ; id. 



Nature and Sport, p. 45 (1897) ; Bendall, Ibis, 1896, p. 176. 

 Eupodotis scolopaoea, Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 284 (1867) ; Barrai t, Ibis, 



1876, p. 192; HoUb £ Pelzeln, Orn. Siid-Afr. p. 232 (1882). 

 Heterotetrax vigorsi, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xxiii, p. 296 (1894) ; Shelley, 



B.Afr.i,^. 185 (1896); Woodward Bros. Natal B. p. 175 (j'899); 



Gates, Gat. B. Eggs, p. 86, pi. iv, fig. 4 (1902) ; Whitehead, Ibis, 



1903, p. 235 ; Sharpe, Ibis, 1904, p. 14 [Deelfontein] . 

 " Dik-kop Knorhaan " of the Dutch. 



Description. Adult — General colour above and below ashy-grey, 

 very finely freckled with dark brown, with a pale rufous or pinky 

 sheen over a good deal of the back ; a conspicuous black triangular 

 patch on the chin and throat extending as a narrow line about half 

 way down the neck ; another black patch on the nape somewhat 

 concealed by the elongated occipital feathers which form a slight 

 crest ; round the throat-patch the feathers are paler, almost white ; 

 primaries, primary coverts and secondaries blackish, the bases and 

 inner webs of most of them tawny and freckled with tawny ; inner 

 secondaries and scapulars like the back but with patches of ashy- 

 black ; beneath like the back, but a good deal paler and with a pinky 

 sheen ; the abdomen being almost white ; axillaries like the flanks, 

 brown with blackish vermiculations. 



Iris brownish-grey. 



