gle," and side
by side with him the short-tailed and singular "bateleur." There, too
were hawks of different sizes and colours, and kites cutting through the
air, and crows and ravens, and many species of _insectivora_.

But far more numerous than all the rest could be seen the little
_springhaan-vogel_, a speckled bird of nearly the size and form of a
swallow. Myriads of these darkened the air above--hundreds of them
continually shooting down among the insects, and soaring up again each
with a victim in its beak. "Locust-vultures" are these creatures named,
though not vultures in kind. They feed exclusively on these insects, and
are never seen where the locusts are not. They follow them through all
their migrations, building their nests, and rearing their young, in the
midst of their prey!

It was, indeed, a curious sight to look upon, that swarm of winged
insects, and their numerous and varied enemies; and all stood gazing
upon it with feelings of wonder. Still the living cloud approached no
nearer, and the hopes of Von Bloom continued to rise.

The swarm kept extending to the south--in fact, it now stretched along
the whole western horizon; and all noticed that it was gradually getting
lower down--that is, its top edge was sinking in the heavens. Were the
locusts passing off to the west? No.

"Da am goin roost for da nacht--now we'll get 'em in bag-full," said
Swartboy, with a pleased look; for Swartboy was a regular locust-eater,
as fond of them as either eagle or kite,--aye, as the "springhaan-vogel"
itself.

It was as Swartboy had stated. The swarm was actually settling down on
the plain.

"Can't fly without sun," continued the Bushman. "Too cold now. Dey go
dead till da mornin."

And so it was. The sun had set. The cool breeze weakened the wings of
the insect travellers; and they were compelled to make halt for the
night upon the trees, bushes, and grass.

In a few minutes the dark mist that had hid the blue rim of the sky, was
seen no more; but the distant plain looked as if a fire had swept over
it. It was thickly covered with the bodies of the insects, that gave it
a blackened appearance as far as the eye could reach.

The attendant birds, perceiving the approach of night, screamed for
awhile, and then scattered away through the heavens. Some perched upon
the rocks, while others went to roost among the low thickets of mimosa;
and now for a short interval both earth and air were silent.

Von Bloom