GOLIATH HERON AND EAGLE 157 



heron repeated its defensive tactics, dropped on to the 

 water, and took up the same attitude as before. 



As soon as the eagle drew off the heron took to wing 

 again and this time was not pursued ; the eagle, being 

 satisfied that the trespasser had been driven from the private 

 fishing grounds, returned victorious to its favourite perch, 

 while the heron slowly disappeared into the distance. 



On the second occasion when the two birds were seen 

 in conflict, the heron had the best of it. This was in 

 1913, when I was going down to see Nkosi Islet, the 

 southernmost of all the Sesse group. While passing down 

 the channel between Kirugu and Buguye, I saw, on the 

 islet Lula, a fish eagle swoop down upon a goliath heron 

 that was standing on the shore, but presumably trespassing 

 on the eagle's preserves. 



There was some rough and tumble business, and then the 

 eagle was seen on the ground, and whenever it moved the 

 heron jabbed viciously at it with its formidable beak, 

 and, I think, had one foot on the eagle to hold it down. 

 A considerable noise was made, but I think the heron was 

 chiefly responsible for the very savage snarling and grunting 

 sounds that came from the pair. I confess my sympathies 

 were with the eagle, who seemed to be getting much the 

 worst of it, but eventually managed to disengage and 

 fly away, and the heron did not pursue. 



It would seem as if the eagle was superior on the wing, 

 and the heron knew it, but was in the stronger position 

 on the ground. In the case first described the heron 

 was at first seen on the ground, but took to wing at the 

 approach of the canoe, when the eagle gave chase ; presum- 

 ably it had not dared to attack before. The hoarse, 

 raucous cry of the Kimbala is quite startling when one 

 suddenly gets up, frightened by a gunshot, from a thick 

 bed of rushes where it had been standing unperceived. 

 It is a handsome bird, coloured with various shades of 

 brown and purplish grey. It is curious that I have never 



