Vol. III. 

 1904 



Stray Feathers. 2T.Q 



course, one has to pay for everything in this climate with the 

 pound of flesh) sunstroke, followed by fever, and with great 

 difficulty I was brought back to Zanzibar, when, with a good 

 doctor and good nursing, thank God ! I am becoming myself 

 again. Now to give you some little glimpse of what the feathered 

 tribes are like which inhabit this vast collection of islands, which 

 are separated by more or less narrow channels lined with dense 

 masses of mangrove trees, growing up straight in many places 

 to the height of 150 feet. There are a rise and fall of tide here 

 from 12 to 16 feet and when the tide goes out vast banks and 

 marshes are laid bare, or partly so, and it is now that one can 

 study the wader family as they busily traverse the banks and 

 shallows (where there are thousands of huge sea-slugs) for their 

 food. Vast flocks come from the sea-shore, others from the tops 

 of the stunted mangroves, where they have been awaiting the 

 going out of the tide. Most conspicuous amongst these birds 

 are the Sea-Curlews — one of giant proportions, and the other 

 species seems almost identical with our own Australian bird. 

 Their shrill call is heard at all times during the day as they fly 

 up or down the channels, and in the quiet of the night their 

 shrill note cuts the atmosphere like a whistle. A bird associating 

 with the last is one that by observation through powerful glasses 

 was evidently our common Greenshank. Unfortunately they were 

 very shy, and no matter what ruse I played I could not get within 

 .decent range. I collected four varieties of Sandpipers. Some of 

 the smaller species were in great numbers. Tall and stately 

 Cranes (Egrets) of a pure white, yellow bills and legs, could easily 

 be distinguished amidst the merry throng. Then there is a 

 Crane 4 feet high, jet black, with very long white neck ; a slate 

 fellow very much like our White-fronted Heron of Australia ; 

 and last, but not least, great numbers of the pretty little White 

 Egret. I am told by the natives that there are three species 

 of Duck, but I only saw, and shot, one species, with a white face 

 — a very elegant bird, and fairly good eating. I may add here 

 that on some of my trips through the channels I have seen small 

 islands on which stunted mangroves grow quite white with the 

 Little Egrets, which get up like a white cloud, without a sound. 

 Leaving the water and taking to the island of Lamu, we find it 

 sandy and covered very thickly with cocoanut trees, but still 

 there are vast thickets of tangled vines and shrubs, also dwarf 

 fan palms, and in these thickets are many birds. First I must 

 mention the small Vulture, which finds its way into the narrow 

 streets of the villages and is exceedingly tame, the natives never 

 molesting these birds, for they are such great scavengers. The 

 White-breasted Raven also helps in the work, and one becomes 

 quite accustomed to its dismal croak. The little black Crow is 

 not such a bold bird, and although he is met with on the out- 

 skirts of the villages he is not nearly so trustful. A very familiar 

 bird on the islands is a little black Shrike (Drongo ?) with forked 

 tail ; it has rather a pleasing note, and is to be seen on the 



