82 



A Breath from the Veldt 



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hills, following in this way the method commonly employed in South Africa 

 whenever the fleshpots have to be considered. Our hope was to pick up a Roi 

 Rhebuck, a pretty and graceful little animal, somewhat like our English 

 roebuck, but more closely resembling a small reedbuck, from which, however, 

 it differs widely both in habit and activity. On the main trail to Mashonaland 



hardly any buck, but little duikers and 

 steinbucks, are met with nowadays till 

 the traveller arrives within two days of 

 the Limpopo ; the rifle therefore is of 

 little or no use there, as far better sport 

 can be obtained with the shot-gun and 

 a good pointer. As a rule I found it 

 easy to supply the larder with bustards 

 and francolins ; we therefore fared sump- 

 tuously every day on fresh meat, a very 

 desirable commodity when living en- 

 tirely in the open air. From the point 

 from which we last started I found the 

 bush khoorhan {Otis ruficrista) plentiful 

 until we approached Mashonaland, where 

 it gradually became scarcer. It is a 

 handsome member of the bustard family, 

 but, differing materially in habit from 

 the other species, it is solitary and shy 

 in disposition, always creeping away and 

 hiding itself on the first appearance of 

 danger. It is also a remarkably silent 

 bird, seldom uttering any note except 

 a hoarse "kirr-rack" when suddenly 

 flushed. Its flight is swift, and much 

 like that of the wood-cock, or still more, 

 perhaps, that of the female capercailzie. Rising quickly and without the 

 apparent difficulty noticeable in other members of the family, it moves away 

 with considerable rapidity, at one time dodging behind trees and at others tak- 

 ing sudden headers to earth after the extraordinary fashion of this family of birds. 

 As a bird of chase it is therefore first-class, demanding as it does quick and 

 accurate shooting. When plentiful and found in company with the pileated 



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EVENING PLAY OF THE BUSH KHOORHAN 



The outlined figures are intended to represent the tower and 

 drop of a single bird. 



