52 EGYPTIAN BIRDS 



and digs out a hole in the soft sides of the Nile 

 bank. In some cases it burrows back two to three 

 feet before it widens out the chamber in which 

 the nest is made. I do not know that the bird 

 is in any way persecuted, but it is not beloved of 

 the people, as they accuse it of eating too many 

 of their young fish. Visitors who do not like their 

 muddy Nile fish do not see any great offbnce in 

 this, but I can quite see the matter from the 

 native's point of view, and am a little astonished 

 that it has been allowed to increase and multiply 

 as it has. Last year, each evening, something like 

 thirty used to roost on the chain cable of Mr. 

 Davis's dahabeah, moored just opposite Luxor. 

 Where they all came from was something of a 

 mystery, as, though you would see one now and 

 again on that reach of river, you would never 

 be able to see anything like that number ; yet 

 every evening in they used to come, and after a 

 rather excited noisy discussion settled down to 

 roost for the night. 



A most interesting thing in this bird is its 

 singular habit of hanging in mid-air, above the 

 water, on the look - out for fish. Although I 

 have said fish, it is certain it must take other 

 creatures than fish, for I have often seen it, not 



