128 IN BRIGHTEST AFRICA 
their running over the surface to get a start, the beat- 
ing of wings, and the “kronk-kronk”’ of their calls 
created an indescribable din, while the charm of the 
marvellously beautiful sight was tempered by the 
odours that arose from the putrid waters churned 
by the activity of the birds. 
The flamingos that had settled in mid-lake soon 
began to drift back in our direction and we hurriedly 
constructed a rude blind of green boughs on the shore. 
Here I awaited their return, camera in position, and 
within half an hour was surrounded by acres of the 
beautiful creatures. The greater number of the birds 
proved to be of the small, more brilliantly coloured 
species of African flamingo (Phoenicopterus minor), 
although a few of the larger species (Phoenicopterus 
roseus) were in small isolated flocks or scattered here 
and there among their smaller relatives. Evidently © 
flamingos spend the entire year at Lake Hannington. 
So greatly did they interest us on this January visit 
that we returned in May hoping to find them nesting, 
but we were some six weeks too late. The young birds 
in their gray plumage were abundant and traces of the 
nests were to be seen at the north end of the lake. 
One soon forgets about snakes in Africa although 
there are many poisonous species. In my experience 
of more than five years in the jungles, wandering 
about with from one hundred to two hundred and 
fifty semi-naked, barefoot men, I have never had 
to deal with a snake bite. On my last journey to the 
Kivu I had glimpses of two snakes all told. 
