160 Rev. 11. B. Tristram on the 



water, 1 detected the water-tortoises carrying off at great speed 

 our wounded and dead birds ; and following the streak of blood 

 through the water, at length seized one struggling with his captor, 

 who maintained so tenacious a grasp that 1 hauled him on board 

 along with the bird, and took care to secure him, too, for my 

 collection. With this proof of the carnivorous propensities of 

 the water-tortoise, I am inclined to believe that the havoc in the 

 nests of Coots and Ducks may often be attributed to this plun- 

 derer. Nor are the water-tortoise and the Purple Gallinule the 

 the only "oophacji " against whom these poor birds have to combat 

 in the struggle for perpetuating their species. A Water-snake 

 frequently takes up his abode in a Coot's nest and boldly drives 

 off the rightful proprietor. An empty nest seems to be his 

 favourite dwelling-place ; and if a Coot's or Water-IIen's nest 

 be not tenanted by its owner, it usually supplies free quarters to 

 a Water-snake. 



None of the Ducks had yet begun to breed ; and we searched 

 in vain on the further or southern edge of the lake for the nests 

 of the various Herons which were congregated in vast flocks in the 

 neighbourhood, feeding through the day like rooks in the plains, 

 and returning to the reeds to roost. I remained till near sunset, 

 and watched them as they returned — first the graceful little 

 Squacco, then white clouds of Buff-backs and Night Herons, with 

 here and there a straggling Purple Ibis, like a black sheep in a 

 flock, mingled with them ; but we were evidently some weeks too 

 early for their nests. Laden with booty, we returned through the 

 stifling reeds as soon as we had seen the Herons safe to roost. 

 But think not such a day's nesting " a rose without a thorn." 

 The suffocating heat of the reed-bed, the intolerable stench 

 emitted by the slightest disturbance of the slime and oozy 

 matter on which we floated, and, above all, the voracity of the 

 mosquitoes, penetrating ankles, wrists, face, and neck, im- 

 pelled one to rush off half blinded, ola-rpoSlvijTO^ Kevrpoia-i 

 (f)oiTakeoiaiu. Such is the penalty for intruding on the sacred 

 preserves of Halloula, — not much less severe than j\lr. Taylor's 

 sufferings in Honduras. 



Too wearied to attempt cither to skin or blow eggs that 

 evening, 1 flung myself down with a towel steeped in viti ordinaire 



