The last Journal of IF. A. Forbes. 523 



spirit-specimens. Did not go out in canoe in evenings as all 

 the people are engaged getting sticks &c. for wall of new 

 factory. Took a walk along hills and back along top^ hut 

 saw nothing. Slept very badly. 



Nov. 10th. Packed away bird-skins. Greenshields shot a 

 CroWj which I pickled. In evening went down creek again 

 in canoe. Lots of the two Bee-eaters close to ^'beach/^ over 

 grass-fields. Saw very few birds in creek, but shot a Fly- 

 catcher [Tchitrea sp. ?), one out of several flying about top 

 of high trees in some bush where we landed, and a very fine 

 Owl, apparently a new Scotopelia, in creek ; also a Bat [Epo- 

 mophorus) fluttering in water, apparently bathing. 



Nov. 11th. Got a Siluroid from natives,*" about 2 feet 

 long, and a small Protopterus (^'Addo^^). Skinned the 

 Owl, which took best part of the day. In afternoon went up 

 left arm of creek in canoe. Got a large Epomophorus (? mon- 

 strosus), of which there were considerable flocks, disturbed 

 out of bordering trees, mixed with the orange-winged species. 

 Of birds, got a Laniarius harharus, Ceryle rudis, and a small 

 masked Ploceus. This species swarms all round the creeks 

 in reeds and long grass ; but all the flocks consist of females 

 or males in olive plumage, with a few males not quite in full 

 colour (are these moulting from, or changing to, full dress?), 

 vide a skin procured. Saw an Ardetta {minuta ?) in full dress. 



Nov. 12th. Three Ibises passed in morning. They fly 

 like Cranes, with outstretched necks, and are very noisy on 

 wing. Note, two long followed by three short, uttered in a 

 bleating sort of way. Balearica says " quack, quack j" in a 

 very resonant trumpeting way. In evening went up left arm 

 of creek again. Shot a young Saxicola (? rubetra) at landing- 

 place, and in creek a Merops nubicus, Halcyon senegalensis, a 

 Plotus, and a Phalacrocorax africanus, of which I saw four or 

 five in the trees. Swarms of Merops again ; besides, saw a 

 very fine red-white-and-blue Halcyon, and a large white bird 

 (I think a Pelican), Haliaetus vocifer, Gypohierax , Ibis hage- 

 dash, &c. 



Nov. 13th. Dissected the stomach of the Plotus. Just as 

 in the first, no V-shaped " ridge,^^ except that the proven- 



