ZOOLOGICAL RAMBLES IN THE TRANSVAAL. 257 
‘Birds of South Africa,’ well describes their habits—“ going in — 
flocks from tree to tree, following each other almost in single 
file;”’ and ‘‘if a wounded one gets into a tree it is extremely 
difficult to retrieve it.” This last statement was precisely my 
own experience; and I had to send my Gulu attendant up a tree 
to retrieve a wounded bird which obstinately refused to move; 
but it is a remarkably tame and perhaps inquisitive bird if one 
remains quiet. Whenever resting in the bush I almost invariably 
expected after a short time to see this species close to me, either 
hopping on the ground near by among the bushes or settling in 
some adjacent tree overhead. Another tame bird is the scarce— 
for this part of the Transvaal at least—African Buzzard Eagle 
(Asturinula monogrammica). The specimen I secured allowed mé 
to approach quite close; a second example was an equally near 
acquaintance at Delagoa Bay; while a third was absolutely 
brought to me at Pretoria which had fallen to a small boy with a 
catapult. It is, however, anything but a common bird; and Mr. 
Thomsen, who resides near Pienaars River and has well collected 
the birds there from time to time, told me my specimen was the 
first one he had seen. Dr. Bowdler Sharpe, in Layard’s ‘ Birds 
of South Africa,’ writes of this bird: ‘‘ Only just enters the 
- country treated of in the present work, and never seems to come 
as low as the Cape Colony or even into Natal, as far as we know 
at present.” 
In connection with the habits of these and other allied 
Accipiters in the Transvaal, I often recalled a remark of the late 
Frank Buckland, as to being told by “a great observer of nature 
and a clever sportsman” that “‘hawks have their regular beat, 
and frequent daily the same line of country, soaring along for 
miles and miles in quest of prey,” and that “he always marked 
the time and place when he saw a hawk on the hunt, and sure 
enough the next day would find my friend at the spot as con- 
fidently as if he was expecting a friend by the most punctual of | 
railways.” In a general and qualified way I found this true in 
the places I regularly frequented. If not violently disturbed the 
same bird may be seen day after day about the same spot and 
near the same hour, and even a specimen of EHlanus ceruleus 
that was driven away at long range for several days continued 
to appear regularly and punctually till my son obtained a less 
Zool. 4th ser. vol. II., June, 1898. Ss 
