CHAPTER VIII 



BIRDS 



Ornithology is a subject to which I have devoted less 

 time and observation than entomology, so that I have not 

 so much to say about birds because of my ignorance of 

 their identity. 



In writing this chapter I have been much indebted to 

 Mr. C. F. Belcher, of Uganda, who has kindly given me 

 the scientific names of such species as are dealt with, 

 and also some of the native names which I had not found 

 out. 



The arrangement and nomenclature is according to 

 Reichenow. 



Perhaps the most striking ornithological feature of the 

 islands is the difference of their fauna from that of the 

 adjoining coast of the mainland. 



I am, of course, only speaking of the islands that I 

 know weU, those lying parallel to the north coast of the 

 lake between Entebbe and Jinja, and Bugalla in the 

 north-west corner of the lake. The differences that have 

 been noted will be mentioned as the various groups are 

 alluded to. 



Gulls are some of the first birds noticed by the traveller 

 on the lake, and while I was on Damba Island in 1911 

 I saw a good deal of them. Some low rocks in the water 

 lay off the point on which I was camped, and for some 

 reason these were a favourite resort of gulls and many 

 other birds, so that there was a bigger collection there 

 than at any other place I know among the islands. 



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