52 G. N. Abrahams—Experiences and Incidents in South Africa


One day, travelling down Queen Victoria Street, Cape Town,

I noticed something unusual about the behaviour of a bird. I stopped

my car and watched.


It was a Mossie (Cape Sparrow, Passer melanura), fighting with his

own reflection in the glittering hub-cap on the spare wheel of a motor

car. For six minutes I watched this pugnacious little chap battling

away. Diving at his own reflection, dashing himself against the cap

with amazing force, and slipping off on to the ground. But he would

be up and at it again, until at last he could go no more and fell to the

ground utterly exhausted, where he lay, until I disturbed him.


In Cape Town Docks, in breeding season, Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris ),

are very daring. The wharves and quays are kept clean and nesting

material and trees are very scarce. But evidently as with man, so

with the birds. “ Needs must when the D’vil drives.”


I watched a tramp steamer dock one day and be fastened to the

quay. Immediately two Starlings settled in the rigging.


The ship’s hatches were opened up and the first cargo to be lifted

out was a crate packed with straw. In a flash the eager Starlings

alighted on the fo’c’sle deck and each ascended with a straw in the

mouth. There were no trees, so they took to a revolving crane. For

a few minutes I watched these daring birds, in their earnest endeavour

to complete their home—lest to-morrow the ship may be gone. The

nest was built between the steel girders and corrugated iron of the

roof. At times the birds would rest on near-by angle irons, apparently

nonplussed, with straw in the mouth, when the crane had turned the

opposite way round. But a moment’s pause and they never missed

the mark. Many nests of young have been found on these ever-revolving

cranes. But the drivers are all very kind.


In a clump of trees, in a place called Rondebosch, the Egrets have

roosted for many years. On my way to business every morning, at

this time of the year, I always look forward to seeing them there.

They roost in the topmost branches of these tall pine trees. And in

the early morning, as the sun is warming them up, they spread their

wings, and it is always a beautiful sight to see these big trees, with a

perfect cap of pure white instead of dark green.


This year they have decided to breed there, and I have never seen



