320 KLOOF AND KARROO. 



the Otis atra of Linnaeus, or Eupodotis afra of 



Gmelin. The name knorhaan, given to it by the 



Dutch, literally signifying scolding cock, aptly 



describes it, for this is one of the noisiest, 



most provoking of birds. Its harsh discordant 



chattering " craak " completely disturbs the veldt 



in its immediate vicinity, and it is further a great 



runner. In spite of all this, the black koorhaan is 



a fine sporting bird, and when you knovi^ its little 



eccentricities and can master your impatience, 



affords really good sport, for it is exceedingly 



common upon every karroo of the Colony. It is 



of a brownish bl9.ck colour, streaked with rufous. It 



has a white stripe from the eye to the base of 



the head, and a collar marking on the back of the 



neck, also of white, and there are distinctive white 



markings upon the wings. Here is its summary by 



Peter Kolben {circa 1704) : "A bird peculiar to the 



Cape countries is called the knorcock, the female 



knorhen. These serve like sentinels to the other 



fowls by a loud noise they make on seeing a man, 



which resembles the word ' crack,' and which they 



repeat very clamorously ... is about the size of a 



hen." This bustard, as Kolben further notices, is 



not a great flyer, and if flushed very soon goes down 



again, when it watches its pursuer with the greatest 



pertinacity. The best plan to work its downfall is 



to approach it from different directions, when its 



attention is distracted from one gunner to the other. 



The vaal or grey koorhaan {Otis vigorsii) is of a 



greyish red colour, mottled with black and dark 



brown. The head is very slightly crested, and the 



bird has a peculiarly beautiful pinkish gloss upon its 



plumage, which fades after death. In size it much 



