'274 MULE -HUNTING EXPEDITION. 



erythrorynchus). Their nests were on the 

 ground, amidst the rushes, but unluckily I did 

 not succeed in finding an egg. The nest is 

 simply a confused heap of rushes, with a lot of 

 down and feathers in the centre. On the water 

 these huge birds swim as easily, buoyantly, and 

 gracefully as swans; and in fishing, do not 

 swoop down from a height, as does the brown 

 pelican, but thrust their heads under water, and 

 regularly spoon up small fish with their immense 

 pouched beaks. 



Where could one find a more enjoyable sight, 

 whether viewed with the eye of a naturalist or 

 lover of the picturesque ? Before me is the reedy 

 swamp, with its open patches of water, glittering 

 like mirrors in the bright sunlight, rippled in all 

 directions by busy beavers : some making a hasty 

 retreat to their castles, others swimming craftily 

 along, crawl on to the domes and peep at the 

 intruder. Dozing on the sandbanks round the 

 margin of the pools, or paddling with ' oary feet' 

 on the smooth water, are numbers of snowy peli- 

 cans : the bright orange encircling the eyes, and 

 colouring the pouch, legs, and feet, looks like 

 flame, contrasted with the white feathers, so inten- 

 sified is the color by the brilliancy of the sun-rays. 

 Pintails, shovellers, stockducks, the exquisitely 



