LIFE ON A MOUNTAIN FARM. 93 



not vouch for the truth of this story, for the Boers, 

 hke other people, sometimes allow their imaginations 

 to get the better of them. 



Wandering along near the quiet river, often but 

 a chain of small pools, many rare and interesting 

 birds may be noted. The charming little plover 

 {Charadrius tricollaris) may be often seen, with its 

 greenish -brown coat, white forehead, and black 

 and white collar marks (two of the former are of 

 the latter colour), and white stomach. 



The Kaffir crane and the Stanley or blue crane, 

 the common heron, the beautiful purple heron, the 

 hammerkop (Scopus umbreita), the bittern {Botaurus 

 stellaris), called by the Boers " roerdomp," are 

 seen pretty frequently. The blue rail {Ralliis cceru- 

 lescens), with its ruddy brown colouring, bluish-drab 

 breast, and black and white striped sides, a 

 bird nowhere very common in the Colony, was once 

 or twice shot during my stay. 



The red-billed teal, smee eendtje of the Boers, 

 and the geelbec (yellow-billed) duck [Anas flavirostris) , 

 are not uncommon, while very occasionally we 

 come across the big berg gans (mountain goose) 

 (Chenalopex cBgyptiacus) , a magnificent fellow, whose 

 harsh noisy "honk" warns us of his whereabouts. 

 When secured with a charge of swan or buckshot, 

 this wild goose is a notable prize. The paintmg of 

 his plumage is very fine. Greyish-red upon his 

 top and under parts, strongly marked between the 

 pinions with black, brick-red as to his wings, which 

 are further variegated with white and bright green 

 markings, black rumped, and further painted with 

 splashes of deep-red upon his breast and round the 

 eyes, and having a ruddy circle round the neck, one 



