GLAEEOLIDJi; RHINOPTILUS 331 



common bird, and has only once or twice been obtained within the 

 Colony. In German South-west Africa it appears to be a more 

 regular visitor. Beyond our limits it ranges northwards to Loango 

 on the west, and through Nyasaland and Bast Africa to Kordofan on 

 the east. It has also been obtained in Senegambia. 



The following are South African localities : Cape Colony — Kei 

 Eoad near King William's Town (Trevelyan), Orange River near 

 Aliwal North (Whitehead), Kudunque and Morokweng near Mafe- 

 king, April (Bryden) ; Natal — near Durban (H. Millar), Colenso, 

 November (Reid), Ulundi in Zululand (Woodward); Orange Eiver 

 Colony — Ehenoster River, January (Ayres) ; Transvaal — Sand River 

 in Lydenburg, April (Francis, in S. A. Mus.), Potchefstroom, 

 January (Ayres), Rasteuburg, November (Lucas) ; Rhodesia — near 

 Salisbury, rare (Marshall), Feira on the Zambesi, December 

 (Stoehr) ; German South-west Africa — Ondonga, January, and 

 Otjimbinque, January (Bt. Mus.), March (S. A. Mus.), Reheboth, 

 February (Fleck) ; Portuguese East Africa— Tete (Kirk), Senna, 

 July, August (Alexander). 



Habits.— Audersson states that this bird arrives at the com- 

 mencement of the rainy season, in small flocks, which first of all 

 secrete themselves in the bush to shelter themselves while moulting, 

 but afterwards spread over the open country. They are not wild, 

 but stick to cover, and if flushed quickly settle again and try to 

 escape by running. Their food consists of insects, arfd specially of 

 beetles. Their flesh is dark-coloured and excellent- eating. 



Mr. A. D. Millar writes as follows regarding the nesting of this 

 bird : " When shooting in the Mozambique province (near Beira) two 

 or three pairs were observed, and on September 28, 1903, my brother 

 found two nests containing respectively three and two eggs — the 

 bird being shot off the nest for identification. The nest was simply 

 a depression in the ground. The eggs were very handsome, the 

 ground colour being bright buff with large black and grey irre- 

 gular markings throughout, but more clearly defined with larger 

 spots at the thick end. The measurements were I'l x I'O." 



Sub-family If. GLAEEOLIN^. 



Hind toe present; tarsus short, about one-fifth of the length 

 of the wing. 



