With Flashlight and Rifle -^ 



view to L;"etting at them later. This, untortunatel) , we 

 (lid not succeed in doing. Our halt, however, gave us 

 a wonderful opportunity for ornithological research in 

 this river-side region. 

 ' Shortly before sundown a Cape stone-curlew {CEdic- 

 iicnnis rape Ji sis) llys past over the dark waters of the 

 stream with whirring wings and a curiously shrill whistle, 

 which sounds like Vee-ee-ee-ee-ee-ee-ee-ee-ee-ee ! getting 

 quicker and sharjjer with each repetition, the last of all 

 being so shrill and piercing that it impresses itselt un- 

 forgettably upon the ear. The bird is breeding just now, 

 and only a few minutes before sundown — Ijut then all the 

 oft(mer and more strenuously — it gives out its song ot joy 

 and love over this mournful river-side, troni sandbank 

 to sandbank. It knows well how to keep out ol the 

 way of its dreaded neighbour the crocodile, as does 

 also the Egyptian goose [C/inni/opcx woypf units) now 

 sitting on the sandbank. 



.Suddenly there emerges in mid-stream, silently anti 

 only just perceptibly, th(' head of a crocodile more than 

 four yards in length. The goose has espied him, and. 

 raising herself, gives out a quick cry of warning. The 

 crocodile remains motionless, but the goose keei)s her 

 weather eye ojx-n. 



Kingfishers [Ccjy/c nia/is) make iis(; of this twilight 

 hour for diving into the water and snatchmg at the small 

 fish. The wat(T splashes up in the light of tin; setting 

 sun, and drops tall Irom the h'athers ot the; bird, whi(:h 

 takes up its place again upon a dr\ branch above the 

 stream, reach lo pounce down again next moment. Xow 



72 



