SMITHSONIAN EXPLORATIONS, I928 



67 



numerous others. It was my exceedingly rare privilege to see three 

 shoe-bill storks in the wild state while passing through the Bahr- 

 el-Zeraf. 



One could not visit Africa without being convinced that the " ants " 

 are of great importance there. Though called ants, they are really 

 termites: the homes they build are sometimes lo or 15 feet high and 

 as many feet in width. 



liecause of the overflow of the Nile, during the spring season, the 

 soil along its banks is verv fertile, and native villages and farms are 



Fig. 58. — Natives at Pariak. 



almost continuous along the ri\'er. Tlu' ])rinci])al croj) is durra, a grain 

 corresponding to our wheat. 



The Shuluks, Dinkas, and Neurs are the three ]M-incipal tribes living 

 along the Nile between Khartoum and Rejaf. The men are tall of 

 stature, but the women are short, though of ver\- good build. In the 

 morning they could be seen carrying jars or tin cans on their heads, 

 coming to the river for the day's supply of water. 



During a period of al)Out 20 days we collected 270 specimens o{ 

 bird and animal life, to say nothing of the 35 large trophies taken by 

 the sportsmen. Material for a gazelle group was obtained, together 

 with all necessary accessories, such as earth, ant-hills, thorn-bushes, 

 and palms. Incidental collecting included turtle shells, iisb, insects, 



