160 BIRDS 



chain of islands which I had visited in 1914 with Mr. 

 Fiske. On the second tour this forest Francolin was 

 heard calling on every isle that had forest to shelter it, 

 where it was not noticed in 1914. 



The only other game birds of the islands are Quails, 

 of which two species were met with ; but save that one is 

 much larger than the other there is nothing to be said 

 about them. 



Birds of Prey. — The most conspicuous bird of prey is, 

 of course, the glorious white breasted Fish Eagle or 

 " Empungu " {Haliaetus vocifer), which is literally quite a 

 feature of the landscape. Its pure white head, neck and 

 breast, set off by rich red brown and black on body and 

 wings, render it visible afar when perched on a tree 

 top or prominent branch hanging over the water. Its 

 joyous scream, uttered when soaring round and round 

 high in the air, or when perched on the tree, is a most 

 delightful noise, full of life and vigour. When screaming 

 the bird throws back its head until it almost touches the 

 back, and the loud cry is responded to by its mate, for 

 they seem to live together in couples. 



The noise made by the rush of air between the pinions 

 when one of these superb birds sees a fish at the surface 

 and stoops to secure it can be heard before one has actually 

 seen the bird, and amounts to a loud roar. Sometimes 

 the bird chooses a fish of such size that it cannot lift it. 

 An officer of the Uganda Marine told me that he had seen 

 one taken under water by a fish in which its talons were 

 presumably inextricably fixed. It was probably one of 

 the large lung fishes which had come to the surface for 

 a breath of air. 



So far as I can remember, however, the eagle does not 

 usually plunge quite into the water, but checks itself 

 before the impact, neatly picking up the wriggling prey 

 with its feet, and carrying it off to a favourite perch. 



During brilliantly fine weather, when there is usually 



