GAME-BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA 



near water. When pursued the coveys break up at once, 

 each bird either tearing away as fast almost as a rabbit, or 

 else jumping quickly to a thick bush and there squatting. 

 It is extremely difficult to flush, is an inveterate runner and 

 skulks through the thickest and thorniest places at tremendous 

 speed. 



If headed by the dogs it wiU often perch in a tree and stay 

 there until the sportsman appears, when it dives out and has 

 a marvellous knack of always being on the wrong side of the 

 bush for a successful shot. 



I have found it very noisy indeed in the morning and 

 evening and also often during the night, especially if there 

 were a moon. 



The eggs are laid in the densest cover possible ; they are 

 pale creamy- white and measure about 1.7 by 1.3 in. 



Layard states that they are peculiarly shaped, being 

 truncated at both ends ; but I think those he found may have 

 been abnormal, as all those I saw were shaped in the usual 

 Partridge and Francolin peg-top fashion. 



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