142 MAMMALS 



met with on the islands, and then only on the very largest. 

 A pair of genets was once seen on Kome, their long snaky 

 bodies, with spotted coats, and short legs being quite 

 unmistakable, even though they were only seen darting 

 away in alarm. 



On Damba one day in 1911,1 had a delightful experience. 

 I was sitting quietly by a clump of bushes, watching for 

 bee-eaters at the edge of the forest, some 30 yards away, 

 and keeping as motionless as possible. A beautiful 

 mongoose, of a rich red-brownish green colour, with tail 

 all fluffed out, walked across a little grassy bay in the edge 

 of the forest, very full of vigour, but not in a hurry, and 

 disappeared again among the bushes. Shortly afterwards 

 there was heard an agitated quacking and cackling from 

 the jungle on my left, and an Egyptian goose came across 

 the grass in front of me, and only a few yards away, 

 followed by the mongoose. 



The goose fluttered along making a great fuss, apparently 

 just keeping out of reach of the pursuer. It seemed to 

 me, however, that the mongoose was not exerting himself 

 very much, as if he thought that the obviously disabled 

 bird in front must very soon fall an easy prey. The two 

 passed into the jungle on my right, and the deluded 

 mongoose lost his prey. Shortly afterwards I saw him 

 again, walking across the little bay, but the ruse had 

 been successful ; the goose had drawn him away from a 

 brood of babies, and while he had been chasing one parent 

 the other had led the goslings away in another direction, 

 and I could see them swimming away to a marshy bit of 

 land where they were safe for the time. But a few days 

 later I saw that the number of goslings was much 

 diminished, so the mongoose may have been more success- 

 ful a second time, knowing the trick that had been played 

 on him. 



It was very interesting to see this old, old trick actually 

 succeed. 



