Excursion to the Victoria Falls. Ill 



capped Bulbul (Pycnonotus layardi), with its cheerful piping 

 note and active habits, a number being usually found together 

 haunting the higher branches of the trees in the neighbour- 

 hood of the river. Jardine's Babbler {Crateropus jardinii) 

 was also a noticeable bird, noisy and. restless, with a harsh 

 chattering note, reminding one of the well-known Indian 

 "Sat-bhai" (Crateropus canorus) ; Avhile the Black Tit 

 {Par us xanthostomus) was commonly seen climbing about 

 the topmost branches of the taller trees, and getting into all 

 sorts of queer attitudes, like the English Tits and the (ape 

 Mouse-birds. 



Among the Birds-of-Prey the Kite {Milvus migrans) was 

 very frequently seen rolling round in the air, easily recog- 

 nised by its long forked tail, while the Bateleur (Helotarsus 

 ecaudatas) could also be clearly identified by its short 

 tail. Occasionally, too, I saw the magnificent Fish-Eagle 

 {Haliaetus vocifer), while one example of that somewhat rare 

 bird, Wahlberg's Eagle {Aquila wahlbergi), was obtained. 

 One morning, on a neighbouring island, Drury was fortunate 

 enough to meet with a family of the large Eagle-Owl {Bubo 

 lacteus), consisting of a pair and one young bird fully Hedged ; 

 the female — which was carrying in her claws the greater part 

 of the carcase of a Zambesi Genet {Genetta rubiginosa) — and 

 the young bird were secured and skinned. 



Game-birds were not very numerous : a few Guinea-fowls 

 were seen, but were very wary and difficult to approach ; 

 the prevailing Partridge was Pternistes swainsoni, while the 

 only Knorhaan seen and secured was a female Otis melano- 

 gaster. 



I saw one example of that rare bird Seebohm's Courser 

 {Rkinoptilus seebohmi) on the way up from Livingstone to 

 the Sinde, but unfortunately my gun had been left behind 

 with a boy at the time. 



Apart from the Duikers and Snake-birds, the " Hadadah " 

 [Hagedashia hagedash) was one of the commonest birds 

 about the Zambesi ; it was often to be seen standing 

 about on the islands in mid-stream, and when disturbed 

 made off with a loud cry somewhat resembling " a-a-ah." 



