120 THE SPORTSMAN IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



of the neck, black; sides of the head^ ivhite ; lower parts ^ dirty 

 white ; first and second quills blackish, rufous white near the base; 

 and others buffy white, with the tip blackish."'\ 



This species is so described in Layard and Sharpe's Birds of South 

 Africa, and, according to Andersson, is to be found in Great Nama- 

 qualand. The above description is reproduced by permission of 

 Dr. Sharpe. 



DIKKOPS. 



The Dikkop or South African Thick-Knee {(Edicnemus 

 capensis). Fig. 46, Frontispiece. 



[_Size considerably larger than the common Thick-knee found 

 in England. General colour above, light fawnish brown, darker 

 down the back of neck, and approaching dirty white on the 

 lower portion of wings, mottled and streaked all over with dark 

 brown; belly, dirty white; chin and upper portion of neck, white; 

 the shape of the head very much resembles the woodcock, and is 

 disproportionately large for the size of the body ; eyes, owl like, 

 excessively large and protruding, of a greenish yellow colour i\ 



The Dikkop is very migratory in its habits, and may be found scat- 

 tered all over South Africa as far up as the Tropic of Capricorn, but 

 not in large quantities in any particular places. It is sometimes met 

 with in small flocks, but usually in pairs, and is very much inclined 

 to frequent broken stoney country sparsely overgrown with vaal 

 bush. When disturbed it runs with considerable rapidity, and, like 

 most of the Bustards, prefers concealment in the bushes to imme- 

 diate flight. When on the wing the legs are stretched to the full 

 extent backward like the heron, and the flight being slow and 

 regular, it is a very easy bird to shoot. It is supposed to feed only 

 during the night, its food consisting principally of a very small 

 species of black ant ; it will, however, also devour locusts with avidity. 

 The flesh is white and very good. 



The Natai Dikkop {(Edicnemus natalensis). 



\_This can be readily distinguished from, the last described by its 

 inferior size, proportionately larger bill, and, generally, deeper colour. 



