Expedition to the Zambesi River. 443 



of tliese birds. They were a perfect sight. In long lines, 

 they kept creeping over the wet sand, neither turning to the 

 right hand nor to the left, their long necks well craned 

 down, all busy feeding, looking at a distance like so many 

 cattle in the act of grazing. On starting for another feeding- 

 ground they would all close up in a dense formation, while 

 one bird advanced as the pioneer of the great band, and not 

 till it had lowered its neck to feed on the new ground did 

 the others dream of doing so. And when the heavy dusk 

 came on they were still feeding. 



228. Plectropterus gambensis (Linn.). 

 Small parties occasionally observed. 



229. Sarcidiornis melanonota (Penn.). 



An adult male from a small brook near the Kafue river, 

 on Jan. 8. 



230. Dendrocycna viduata (Linn.). 



Seen now and again in large flocks, 15 to 20 in number. 

 While at Zurabo we used to hear them at night, taking wide 

 circuits inland from the river, keeping up the whole time a 

 sibilant whistling. 



They seem easily gulled, the natives catching a good 

 number of them in very simple traps — a flat stone propped 

 up by a stick, after the principle of a brick-trap. 



Adult S (Dec. 19, 1898). Iris black; legs and feet bluish 

 slate-colour. 



231. Chenalopex ^.gyptiacus (Linn.). 



Common. Generally known as the ''Zambesi Goose.'' It 

 is often to be found in a domestic state in the native villages, 

 but the white man abhors it, the meat being strong and as 

 tough as leather. We met with a bi'ood of 13 young ones 

 on Oct 25. 



232. Pcecilonetta erythrorhyncha (Gra.). 



A specimen obtained out of a flock at Zumbo, Nov. 9. This 

 was the only time we observed this species. Although it was 

 the dry season and the river was full of sandbanks and pools, 



