390 ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY. 



clothed in the most brilliant plumage. The herons and water-hens vie with 

 the duck tribe in numbers and gaudiness of plumage. During a hurried 

 journey up the Teoge, I procured, in a short time, herons of upwards of ten 

 distinct species, besides several different kinds of storks, cranes, &c. The lake 

 and its rivers swarm with crocodiles. During the cold time of the year, they 

 resort to deep water, where they remain in a state of comparative inactivity ; 

 but on the approach of the hot season they again come forward, and may be 

 seen lying in great numbers along the banks, basking in the noonday sun, and 

 looking exactly like so many logs of wood. I have often surprised them in 

 this position ; and, if not too close, they have invariably feigned to be asleep. 

 The instant, however, that I have raised my gun, or even merely pointed 

 towards them, they have plunged into the deep like a shot. They are said 

 occasionally to attain a gigantic size ; but no authentic instance has come to 

 my knowledge of any specimen being killed which measured above fifteen or 

 sixteen feet, though I have heard it asserted that they sometimes reach double 

 that length. The crocodile chiefly lives on quadrupeds, which he lies in wait 

 for, and destroys when coming to drink ; but he is said never to devour his 

 prey before the flesh has arrived at a state of putrefaction. When in its native 

 element, the power of this animal must be enormous ; for if the testimony of 

 the inhabitants is to be relied on, he not unfrequently succeeds in destroying 

 the buffalo, which they say he accomplishes by seizing the beast by the 

 muzzle and dragging him into deep water, where he suffocates him. This 

 being done he hauls his victim back to the shore, and, pushing the carcase 

 above water-mark, watches over it until it has become nicely tainted, when 

 he commences his feast. From the moist and swampy nature of the ground 

 about the lake and rivers, snakes, as may well be supposed, are numerous; 

 but, though they at times attain a gigantic size, they appear very harmless, 

 being often destroyed by the natives, who devour them with great relish. I 

 never myself saw a specimen exceeding seven or eight feet in length, but 

 procured skins measuring fully three times that size. The bushmen assured 

 me that they not unfrequently surprised these monsters when asleep and 

 gorged, and that on such occasions it was not unusual to dispatch them with 

 a blow on the head from the knob-kierie. These snakes feed chiefly on birds 

 and small quadrupeds. The finny tribe was also pretty numerous ; but my 

 stay at the lake was of too short a duration to collect much information on this 

 head. I saw and tasted many different kinds, some of which were most 

 excellent eating, and had a rich and agreeable flavor. The only ones, how- 

 ever, which I remember had any likeness to northern fishes were a sort of 

 perch, and one or two barbel kinds. 



TIMBUCTOO ; ITS POPULATION AND COMMERCE. 



The following paper on the great city of Central Africa was communicated 

 to the British Association, through the Foreign Office, by Dr. Earth. Dr. B., 

 dating from Timbuctoo, on the 2nd of October, 1853, acquainted the Earl of 

 Clarendon, the Foreign Minister, that on the 7th of the month previous he had 

 reached Timbuctoo, and had met with a very satisfactory reception. He 

 entered from the south side, having navigated a considerable channel of the 



