Il8 THE SPORTSMAN IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



to escaping on the wing. The manner of flight resembles that of 

 the Paauw but is much more rapid. It is not by any means very 

 common, but is most abundant on the verge of the Kalahari. The 

 flesh is held in better estimation than the Black Khoorhan. 



The Blue Khoorhan (^Otis ccsrulescens). Fig. 40, Frontispiece. 



{^Size about one-and-a-half larger than the Black Khoorhan. 

 Colour above^ brown with a reddish tinge, very minutely mottled with 

 a darker shade and black ; crown of the head, black ; cheeks and all 

 around eyes, white ; band of black around the throat ; front of neck, 

 breast and belly, slatey blue; head, crested; tail feathers tipped 

 with black ^ 



In small parties of three or four at a time, and generally somewhere 

 near water, this Khoorhan is still found in the Karoo portions of the 

 Cape Colony and a few districts in Natal, being now very scarce in 

 both countries. It is, however, much more common on the flats in 

 the Orange Free State, and is occasionally spoken of in the Southern 

 part of the Transvaal, but does not frequent any other portion of 

 South Africa. It is not by any means a difficult bird to approach, 

 particularly late in the evening, and its voice and manner of flight 

 very much resemble the Vaal Khoorhan. Flesh rather tough. 



The Bush Khoorhan {Otis ruficrista). Fig. 44, Frontispiece. 



\_Body larger and more thick-set than the Black Khoorhan ; head 

 and neck slatey blue; large tuft of purplish red on head ; general 

 colour of the upper portions blackish brown, distinctly mottled and 

 barred with rich brown, regularly covered with prominent V marks ; 

 belly black.'} 



This Bustard is unknown in the Cape Colony, and frequents the 

 very thick bush of the Transvaal, Bechuanaland, Matabeleland, and 

 Damaraland. It is solitary in its habits, the most favourite resort 

 being on low, stony ridges or kopjies thickly covered with bush. 

 The flight is very quick, and when flushed closely resembles that of 

 a woodcock in the manner of its diving in and out with great 

 rapidity through the bush, presenting by no means an easy shot. 

 In this respect it is not alone different from other birds of the 

 Bustard tribe, but it is very often observed soaring on what is called 

 the "dead wing," and although all the lesser species make some sort 



