OTIS GOERULESGENS. 



ELUE KNORHAAN. 



(Plate 4.) 



Otis coerulescens, Vieillot, Enc. Meth., i, p. 334 (1820) ; Sharpe's ed. 

 Layard Birds of S. Afr., p. 638 (1875-84) ; NicoUs & Eglington, 

 Sportsman in S. Afr., p. 118 (1892) ; Reichenow, Vogel Afrikas, 

 I, p. 251 (1900-01) ; Sclater, Ann. S. Afr. Mus., m, p. 357 (1905) ; 

 Sclater & Stark, Birds of S. Afr., iv, p. 305 (1906). 



Trachdotis coerulescens, Sharpe, Gat. Birds Brit. Mus., xxrn, p. 308 

 (1894) ; Woodward, Natal Birds, p. 177 (1899). 



Local Names. " Blaauw-Kop Knorhaan " — " Dik-Kop Knorhaan " 

 (pronounced Koraan, i.e. scolding cock). 



Dbsckiption. The bird figured is an adult male ; length about 23 in. 

 The female is slightly smaller than the male, which she closely 

 resembles, but has the ear-coverts, sides of the face and eyebrows 

 pale rufous, and the crown is shghtly spotted with sandy. 



Distribution. The Blue Knorhaan is found in Cape Golony, the upper 

 part of Natal, the Orange River Golony, and the southern 

 Transvaal. 



Blue Knorhaan as a rule are found in coveys of four or five 

 on wide sandy plains, and do not seem to care for the heavier 

 grass to which their near relatives the White-quilled 

 Knorhaans {0. afroides) are so partial. 



In April, 1905, I was lucky enough to obtain^ in the 

 market at Bloemfontein, a pair of the Blue Knorhaan. 



Neither before nor since have I seen these birds for sale 

 alive, nor have I seen any in captivity, so I conclude that 

 it was an exceptionally lucky chance that brought this latter 

 pair into my keeping. They were then perhaps six weeks 



