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by Lobelia Scsevola and certain Eubiacefe, and this is at times 

 broken by clumps of Casuarina trees and Paudanus. The former 

 is a favourite perching place for the guinea-fowl, which are found 

 in large numbers along the coast. 



Every now and then one has to take to a canoe and ti-avel up 

 some sluggish river. The banks of these rivers are fringed by groujis 

 of Traveller's tree, Baobab and other trees, not differing so much from 

 our own forms in appearance. A gigantic Arum with leaves nearly 

 4 feet long is often arranged in long rows along the margins. The 

 beautiful blue water lily and the yellow Limnanthemum rest on the 

 surface of the water, and occasionally one finds the latticed leaves of 

 the Ouvirandra, one of the curiosities of the island. The lovely little 

 blue and red kingfisher may often be s:^en perched on the bushes, 

 and occasionally darting off after some incautious fish. Looking 

 over the sides of the canoe one is astonished at the quantity of 

 fish that inhabit these waters, and this explains the presence of 

 crocodiles, which in such places are extremely numerous. They 

 are not really often seen, but one hears frequently of oxen caught 

 by the crocodile and dragged off for assimilation, or of some un- 

 fortunate woman gathering rushes who has been seized and dis- 

 appeared for ever. Occasionally one rows under a group of flying 

 foxes hanging by their tails. They turn their foxlike heads 

 downward, expostulate vigorously, then nnhook themselves and 

 fly off with a strong steady flight. Such a stream ends in a wide 

 lake or reedy lagoon, chiefly formed of Cyperus aequalis. Along 

 its sides grow huge grasses 10 or 12 feet high, and on a withered 

 tree one often sees a cormorant perched with its bill in the air 

 and looking sideways downwards at the canoe with a peculiarly 

 leery expression. Such places are the chosen haunts of the 

 thirteen or so species of ducks, some as Vjig as a small goose, 

 others not larger than a quail. Herons of all shapes and colours 

 abound, and other kinds of waterfowl are quite innumerable. 

 Occasionally, though rarely, one sees a flock of flamingoes drawn 

 up side by side, shoulder to shoulder, in a regular military line. 

 The pure white line which their bodies form is visible miles away. 

 Near at hand one sees the l>right scarlet wing coverts which form 

 a belt halfway down the white uniform. Such lakes and sandy 

 stretches form a large portion of the coast, but one soon begins to 

 leave them and mount the outlying flanks of the hills. These 

 form a series of gentle slopes and valleys before one enters the 

 forest proper. This is the home of the Traveller's tree, one of 



