MIGRATION. 



39 



Locust-bird, it seems very probable that the two species have been confused together either 

 by Mrs. Barber or by Mr. Layard. It is a significant fact that the Layard collection of 

 eggs in the Museum at Cape Town, which is a very good one, reflecting great credit on the 

 energy of the collector, does not profess to contain an African egg of the Pratincole. The 

 Quail {Coturnix communis) certainly does breed in South Africa; but this bird is a partial 

 resident in Natal and the Cape Colony, its numbers being probably increased by migratory, 

 but non-breeding, birds in spring. There is no reason to suppose that the breeding-area 

 of its distribution is discontinuous ; and, in the absence of any evidence to the contrary, it is 

 fair to assume that it breeds throughout Africa, as the Heron, several species of Egret, the 

 Black- winged Stilt, and the Avocet are known to do. It is possible that there may be 

 species of birds breeding both in Europe and in South Africa, but wintering only in Central 

 Africa ; in which case we should find the curious anomaly of a species of bird found all the 

 year round in Tropical Africa, but not breeding there, half the individuals being absent 

 from March to September, in order to breed in the northern hemisphere, and the other half 

 being absent from September to March, in order to breed in the southern hemisphere. But 

 before such a theory could be accepted, it must be supported by facts which are not open 

 to suspicion. 



The winters of South Africa are much milder than those of England ; they approach 

 much nearer in climate to those of the Riviera ; snow is almost unknown, but in many 

 places the nights are cold, and as in South Europe, so in Natal, many birds, for the most 

 part insect-feeding species, leave in autumn for warmer climes. Amongst these, several 

 species of Swallow [Hincndo albigularis, H. semirufa, H. cucuttata), most of the Cuckoos, 

 and some of the Warblers are conspicuous examples. 



It is rather remarkable that the delicate-looking Sun-birds, which vie with the 

 Humming-birds in the brilliancy and metallic lustre of their plumage, are able to brave the 

 winters of Natal without migrating. The representative of our Sand-Martin, Cotyle paludi- 

 cola, and that of the South-European Rock -Martin, Cotyle cinda, must also be included 

 amongst the residents. 



There is in the British Islands a great deal of local wandering amongst birds, and in 

 Natal this internal migration is even more conspicuous. The climate of South Africa varies 

 in different localities. The rainy season is, as a rule, during the summer, but there is a 

 slip of country near the coast, extending from Cape Town to Knysna, where the rain falls in 

 winter, and between the two districts is a belt of country of uncertain rainfall, where in 

 some years it rains every month, and in others little or no rain falls for a whole year. 

 These changes of climate necessitate great changes of residence amongst the bird-population. 

 Some birds feed principally on grasshoppers, and migrate far and wide in search of large 

 erratic flights of these insects. Man has been described as a cooking animal, but Nord- 

 mann's Pratincole very much prefers to eat its locusts cooked. It may be said to spend its 

 time in migrating in enormous flocks in search of roasted grasshoppers. The grass in 



Quail not 

 an example 

 of double 

 breeding. 



Summer 

 migrants to 

 the southern 

 hemisphere. 



Local 

 migration 

 in South 

 Africa. 



Migrants 

 in search 

 of roasted 

 grasshop- 

 pers. 



