AFRICA. 125 
fcafve applauded myfelf during my whole life 
for undertaking it. 
From the Table mountain to the Falfe head 
I every where obferved, throughout the whole 
trad of country that I traverfed, a great num- 
ber of birds of the fpecies of the blackbird, the 
thrulTi^ and the black and yellow bird ; and 
after paffing the latter mountain^, a number of 
bee-eaters, of the kind which are found in the 
fouthern provinces of France, and in Italy. At 
the Cape, as in Europe, thefe charming winged 
animals are birds of pafTage. They flew about 
in thoufands before me in the valley, and fettled 
in flocks on the buflies and fhrubs with which 
k is covered. Under other circumftances, their 
beauty would have been a fufficient motive 
with me to feek for them, but at that time their 
exquifite tafte was the temptation; and with 
the advantage afforded me by their numbers, 
a few difcharges of my fufee direded into a 
bufli procured a fupply of provifion for myfelf 
and people for a whole day. 
Their abundance in this place aftonifiied me 
the more, as I had obferved many birds of 
* See the note in page 259, Vol. I. of the Author s former 
Travels. T, 
prey 
