434 HIPPOPOTAMI— OTTERS BIRDS. 



Ij any indication of spiral turns, and they are then not un- 

 like the horns of goats. 



The nakong is a water-buck. By means of its peculiarly 

 long hoofs (which are black), not unfrequently attaining ii 

 length of six to seven inches, it is able to traverse with fa- 

 cility the reedy bogs and quagmires with which the lako 

 country abounds — localities only fit for the feathery tribe. 

 When at the Ngami I offered very tempting rewards to the 

 natives if they would bring me this animal either dead or 

 alive ; but they protested that, though they frequently kill 

 the nakong by pitfalls and spears, it was not then possible 

 to gratify my wishes, as, at that season, the beast dwelt al- 

 most entirely in muddy and watery localities, where any at- 

 tempt to follow it would be certain destruction to a man. 



Hippopotami abound on the northern side of the Ngami, 

 and more especially toward its northwest extremity, or to 

 the right of where the Teoge River enters the lake. 



Otters are not uncommon in the rivers and the Lake. They 

 appear to be of the same species as with us, but present great 

 variety of color. The fur is good, and much sought after. 



If the quadrupeds of the Lake Fauna are numerous and 

 varied, the aves class is no less rich and abundant. In our 

 iirst journey through Damara-land I had made such a com- 

 plete collection of its birds and insects that I almost despair- 

 ed of obtaining any thing new and interesting ; but here I 

 found at once an unexplored and almost unlimited field for 

 the naturalist. Unfortunately, I was not in a state to be 

 able to benefit, to any extent, by its abundance and variety, 

 which I regret exceedingly. 



The aquatic birds were particularly numerous and varied. 

 A friend who visited the Lake assured me that here and on 

 the Zouga he had, at one time and another, killed specimens 

 of no less than nineteen species of ducks and geese. One of 

 the latter varieties is not larger than a common teal, but 

 clothed in the most brilliant plumage. The herons and 



