16 BIRDS OF DAMARA LAND. 



annual visits it is exceedingly abundant and may be 

 counted by hundreds and by thousands ; nay, their 

 numbers at times exceed all belief. On one particular 

 occasion a friend of mine and myself attempted to form 

 a rough approximation to the number of these birds 

 actually within sight, and of the black and yellow-billed 

 Kites with which they appeared to be mixed up in 

 about equal proportions. Taking a small section of the 

 sky, we came to the conclusion, by counting and estima- 

 ting, that there were at least ten thousand individuals ; 

 and as the heavens above and all around us appeared to 

 be darkened by a living mass of Kites and Hawks, we 

 set down the aggregate number immediately within our 

 view at fifty thousand, feeling at the same time that we 

 were probably below the mark. 



These birds, during their stay in Damara Land, feed 

 almost exclusively on white ants, on which they fatten 

 amazingly, as does every other bird and animal that 

 diets upon this insect; locusts are another favourite 

 kind of food, but less certain. 



The irides in this Falcon are dark brown, the upper 

 part of the base of the bill, the ring round the eyes, the 

 legs and the toes are all reddish orange ; the points of 

 the mandibles are bluish. 



[Mr. Andersson's last collection contained examples of this 

 species obtained in Ovampo Land as well as in Damara Land. 

 —Ed.] 



