24 MIEAGE. 



an extremely bad shooting-ground, we are not sorry when we 

 can again get under way. The previous day, near Farshouni, 

 I had some fair duck-shooting along a half-dry canal, which 

 is always the best kind of place to get at the ducks ; and 

 there we saw a large flock of Avocets, the first I had met 

 with ; but they were too shy to let us approach within shot. 



I shall now hurry on our journey, as the days on the Nile 

 are spent in a very similar manner, while we float along the 

 smooth surface of its waters. At Zitfeh I met with innu- 

 merable flocks of pigeons. With twelve cartridges I killed 

 three dozen of them ; but finding quantities of Tin-tle Doves, 

 we devote our attention to them in preference, as they aff'ord 

 far better shots, and are excellent eating. 



February Ylth. — A strong northerly wind detains us at 

 Shhiibin ; so we start out early, in hopes of walking to Lake 

 Menzaleh. We first cross some flooded rice-fields, where we 

 disturb immense flocks of Gulls and Terns, make a fair bag 

 of Snipe and Golden Plover, and meet with vast quantities of 

 Sandpipers of various species. Leaving the rice-fields we 

 cross a heath, where our delighted eyes see what we imagine 

 to be a large sheet of water in front of us, but which a ten 

 minutes' walk proves to be nothing but a mirage. We are 

 again de ceived in a similar manna.- ; and this makes us some- 

 what doubtful Avhen we really do see water; however, our 

 minds are soon set at rest by a large flock of geese alighting 

 with a splash upon what turns out to be an extensive shallow 

 lake. Here we spend two or three hours rather unsuc- 

 cessfully, as the ducks mostly keep out in the middle. Con- 

 tinuing a little fm-ther we find a succession of small ponds, 

 but do not reach Menzaleh, and then return to our boat with 

 a well-filled and varied bag. 



