padlopertjie, noun
- Forms:
- Also patluperk.
1. ?obsolete Any of several species of bird (see quotations).
1881 E.E. Frewer tr. of E. Holub’s Seven Yrs in S. Afr. I. 80A few red-legged plovers and some small bustards (of the kind that the Boers call ‘patluperks’), which we had shot in the course of the day, afforded us a meal that we thoroughly enjoyed.
1937 Guide to Vertebrate Fauna of E. Cape Prov. (Albany Museum) II. 80The following popular terms apply both to Larks and Pipits in allusion to the habit of ‘ducking’ on alarm: Koester, Koosvoël, Kooskoetjie, Kootsee, Platlêer and Padlopertjie. When approached they run ahead in crouching rat-like manner.
2. The land-tortoise Homopus signatus of the Testudinidae, the world’s smallest tortoise. Also attributive. See also padloper.
1983 S. Afr. Panorama Apr. (Back cover)The lovely little speckled padlopertjie (tramp), Homopus signatus,..is the smallest of the Southern African species and one of the smallest in the world. The carapace is about 100 mm long.
Any of several species of bird (see quotations).
The land-tortoise Homopus signatus of the Testudinidae, the world’s smallest tortoise. Also attributive.
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