234 



perch to devour, the other blue and black with a 

 powerful red bill, which dives after its prey from some 

 branch in the orthodox kingfisher manner ; the same 

 applies also to the Darters, which all da}^ are constantly 

 flying out ahead of the boat, and then diving to come 

 up farther on and swim away with nothing but their 

 heads and necks visible above water. 



Towards evening life returns, and the silence begins 

 to be broken by the voices of bird and beast. On 

 every side is heard the monotonous *' coo-coo" of the 

 doves, and the longer call, " too-too ; tiitta-tiitta " of 

 the Black Pigeons; the Bushfowl begin to summon 

 each other from the thick grass-clumps to their feed- 

 ing-grounds in the cornfields. Other notes are the 

 fluty whistle of the '' ndoio," one of the Shrikes, 

 which on occasion can also give utterance to a sweet 

 thrush-like song, the noisy chatter of the Babblers, 

 birds which seem to be always squabbling, the " chirk- 

 chirk" of the Vermilion-breasted Barbary Shrike 

 flitting from bush to bush, the screams of passing 

 flocks of Parrakeets, the continual chirping and low 

 whistles of Waxbills and Grass- Warblers, and lastly 

 the shrill chatter of the countless Yellow Weavers, 

 whose grass-woven nests fill every thorn-bush which 

 overhangs the water sufficiently to make it a safe 

 nesting-place. Occasionally a clear " cuckoo-cuckoo " 

 will call up thoughts of an English summer ; the owner 

 of the throat whence comes the familiar cry may well 

 be our wandering English friend, as he must at least 

 pass this part of the world on migration, but there is 

 also found here another Cuckoo whose note is identical 

 with that of the European species. 



Harsher sounds are the loud " gnar-r-gnar-r " 



