40 Wonders of the Bird World 



sixty to seventy miles. Here it becomes a large morass, 

 with occasional dry spots, which form so many islands after 

 the annual rains, in a sheet of water that from north to 

 south extends probably over one hundred and fifty miles, 

 having no outlet directly to the Nile, but, when the water 

 is at a certain height, overflowing into a channel connecting 

 it with the Bahr-el-Gazal. This reservoir, which is more 

 or less supplied with water all the year round, abounds in 

 reeds and thick brush, and is the favourite retreat and home 

 of the Balceniceps. The birds are here seen in clusters of 

 from a pair to perhaps one hundred together, mostly in 

 water, and when disturbed they fly low over the surface of 

 the latter, and settle at no great distance ; but, if frightened 

 and fired at, they rise in flocks high in the air, and after 

 hovering and wheeling around, will settle on the highest 

 trees, and as long as their disturbers are near, will not 

 return to the water. Their roosting-place at night is, to the 

 best of my belief, on the ground. Their food consists 

 principally of fish and water-snakes, which they have been 

 seen by men to catch and devour. They will also feed on 

 the intestines of the dead animals, the carcases of which 

 they easily rip open with the strong hook of the upper 

 mandible. 



" The breeding time of the Bal&niceps is in the rainy 

 season during the months of July and August, and the spot 

 chosen is in the reeds or high grass immediately on the 

 water's-edge, or on some small elevated and dry spots 

 entirely surrounded by water. The birds, before laying, 

 scrape a hole in the earth in which, without any lining of 

 grass or feathers, the female deposits her eggs. As many 

 as a dozen eggs have been found in the same nest. Num- 

 bers of these nests have been robbed by men of both eggs 

 and young, but the young birds so taken have' invariably 

 died. After repeated unsuccessful attempts to rear them, 

 and more trouble than one can imagine, after two years' 



