GEESE 149 



Pelicans have only been seen in the narrow channel 

 between Bugalla Island and Bukakata port on the Buddu 

 coast of the west of the lake. 



They may also be seen in Kavirondo gulf, which is very 

 shallow and muddy, but why they do not occur elsewhere 

 on the sheltered waters among the islands it is difficult 

 to explain. 



Geese are, of course, numerous on Lake Victoria, but 

 I confess not so numerous as I expected to find them, 

 and ducks were very rarely seen. I never saw on Lake 

 Victoria anything approaching the hosts of brown ducks 

 seen in 1916 on Lake Bunyonyi in the Kigezi district of 

 the south-west corner of Uganda, or in 1918 on Singidda 

 Lake at the southern end of the East African rift valley, 

 or on the marshy land along the central railway of ex- 

 German East Africa, near Dodoma, in 1917. The native 

 name " Embata " applies to both geese and ducks. The 

 Egyptian, or Zambesi {Chenalopex oegyptiacus) goose, well 

 known over so large a part of Africa, and on ornamental 

 waters at home, is the species most often met with, and is 

 usually found in little companies of two or three, or some- 

 times half a dozen. It prefers especially an open shore of 

 flat rock or sandy beach — the white sand of Nsadzi beach 

 was a very favoured spot, and one could always reckon on 

 finding at least a pair there. 



They are handsome birds with their mottled brown and 

 grey plumage, and green and white speculum on the wings, 

 and walk easily, carrying themselves well without waddling. 

 As one moves along the beach towards them their agitation 

 shows itself by loud cacklings, until they finally take to 

 flight and make a half circle over the water, returning to 

 shore a little further away. A wounded one that had 

 been shot and was pursued by a canoe endeavoured to 

 save itself by diving, but I think this bird only does so 

 in its utmost extremity. 



A nest was found, on July 25, 1914, at the foot of a tree 



