HAWK AND CHAMELEON 163 



tree in front of the tent, and noted that they usually 

 pulled out the viscera and let them drop to the ground 

 below. 



A fairly large grey bird that may have been a buzzard 

 was noted at Jinja under rather peculiar circumstances. 



I was walking along a path thickly bordered with 

 castor oil bushes, when I heard a great fluttering coming 

 from one, and saw a large grey hawk hanging by its feet 

 from something yellowish on a stem of the bush. It 

 appeared as if the bird had caught its feet in a tangle of 

 creeper, and I went up to release it, wondering how I 

 was going to avoid its sharp bill. 



When I approached within a few feet the hawk suddenly 

 flew away, leaving a yellow object hanging from the 

 branch. Only when a bright red drop slowly trickled 

 down did I realize that the object was a chamseleon. 



The hawk had pounced on it and was trying to drag it 

 from the branch, but the chamaeleon had such a firm grasp 

 with its prehensile tail that all the flutterings of the bird 

 had not succeeded in dislodging it. However, the grip 

 of the talons had so injured the chamaeleon that it died 

 almost immediately, so that the bird would have been 

 able to carry it off in the end. 



I examined the stomach contents of the chameeleon and 

 found a small snail and remains of orthopterous insects, 

 probably tree dwelling Locustidae. 



A propos this observation, it may be said that the small 

 brown lizards that run about on the grass roofs of native 

 huts appear to be a desirable food, for one often sees 

 birds of prey swooping down on them. 



I once saw a large cock peck at one till it was disabled 

 and then swallow it whole, a disgusting sight ! 



Owls. — The cries of two species of owl are very familiar. 

 One is a melodious quaver, heard on moonlit nights, 

 the other a deep soft " Hoo-hoo," probably uttered by a 

 big "long eared" owl {Bubo lacteus). During the day 



