GAME-BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA 



Sergt. C. G. Davies, writing from East Griqualaud in 

 February, 1910, said that the range of this bird seems to be 

 spreading. He stated that when he was stationed ia Griqua- 

 land ten years previously he never saw or heard of one, 

 but that now the birds were fairly common and that he 

 had shot twelve of them during that year without special 

 search for them. 



They apparently breed in Griqualand, as he shot four 

 in February out of a small patch of marsh; two were adults, 

 male and female, and the latter contained eggs almost ready 

 for laying. The other two were a young male and female ; 

 probably the yoimg of the above adults hatched in the spring, 

 which looks as if they reared two broods in the year. 



Sergt. Davies writes me that a wounded bird tried to 

 frighten him by spreading its wings and tail to their fullest 

 extent, jumping at his hand every time he put it near, at 

 the same time making a kind of hissing noise ; but it did 

 not attempt to peck or scratch. 



It is generally beheved that the male undertakes the 

 duty of incubation in the same manner as the male of the 

 various species of Turnix does. I can find no definite state- 

 ment about this however, as far as South African birds are 

 concerned. 



Mr. Sclater states that the most interesting thing 

 about the Painted Snipe is the relation of the sexes, which 

 appears to be reversed from what ordinarily holds good 

 among birds, the adult female being generally larger and 

 more briUiantly coloured than the male, while the young 

 female resembles him. 



He also states that the female has a croaking, guttural 

 note, while that of the male is more shrill, this being due 



36 



