78 Bird Hunting on the White Nile. 



CHAPTER \. 



BIRDS. 



ONE of the finest sights in bird-life is that of 

 a falcon taJiing its prey. Lanner falcons^ 

 were fairly common on the White Nile, 

 and several times they swooped down upon sand- 

 grouse which we had winged, and attempted to 

 carry them off. Usually, however, a shout would 

 make the falcon drop such easily won prey. One 

 day when we were riding, a bird rushed over our heads 

 at a terrific pace flying towards the river, which was 

 not more than a hundred yards away. Before we could 

 determine the species of the bird there was another rush 

 of wings over our heads, and looking up we saw two 

 lanner falcons flying side by side. They did not appear 

 to be going very fast, but their pace must have been 



* Falco tanypterus, Schl. 



