GAME-BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA 



Like other Sandgrouse, it resorts to water daily, but not 

 at such regular hours as other species. 



These Sandgrouse are specially fond of the grain of Kaffir- 

 corn, and often feed in large numbers in fields ready for 

 reaping. In consequence perhaps of this, they are generally 

 very good-eating, especially when split open and grilled with 

 butter. 



Mr. H. A. Bryden writes to me as follows : — 



" In crossing the Kalahari Desert I found at the water- 

 pits, where Sandgrouse abounded, that as a general rule the 

 Double-banded species (P. bicinctus) came to drink chiefly in 

 the evening, towards dusk. The Yellow-throated species 

 (P. gutturalis), though sometimes seen at water about the mid- 

 dle of the afternoon, drank mainly between 8 and 10 a.m., 

 as did the Namaqua Sandgrouse. Generally speaking, the 

 Variegated Sandgrouse (P. variegatus) came to water quite 

 early in the morning, just after sunrise. Sometimes however, 

 as at Maqua, these last birds diank later, and were to be seen 

 from eight tiU nearly ten in the morning. At this desert pool 

 of Maqua, a temporary water only, and at T'Klakane, a per- 

 manent water-pit, both between Palachwe and the Botletli 

 River, we saw Namaqua, Variegated, and Yellow-throated 

 Sandgrouse in very large numbers at early morning. At 

 T'Klakane and other waters large numbers oE the Double- 

 banded species drank towards dusk. I saw all these Sand- 

 grouse also in considerable numbers at the large pan at 

 Markereng, South Kalahari, and they were plentiful on 

 the Botletli River, NgamUand. 



" P. gutturalis is much the biggest and heaviest of the four 

 species, and in the deep chocolate or red-brown colouring of 

 the under-parts of the body and in its cry, resembles most 

 nearly the family of the Red Grouse of Scotland. The rare 



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