INDICATIONS OF WATER. 13 



provided always you shoot the lower ones first. The 

 cause of this, in my belief, is that if a bird on the 

 upper branch of a tree falls within gaze of its 

 comrades, the lower members of the family believe 

 that he has taken to flight from fear, and thus follow 

 his example, as doubtless, from the elevated station 

 he was placed in, he was regarded as the look-out, 

 and, therefore, warner of danger. 



But, having got within rifle shot, I soon disposed 

 of a brace, and would no doubt have succeeded 

 further in adding to my bag, but that Donna, ever 

 the most obstreperous of her breed when the day 

 was early, managed to slip her leash, and, regardless 

 of consequences, rushed forward to perform what 

 apparently she more delighted in than any other part 

 of her professional service, viz., retrieving the dead 

 or maimed. One glimpse of her spotted coat was 

 sufficient ; with one accord all the birds, on rapid 

 wing, took flight to neighbouring localities, deemed 

 safer from intrusion. 



Where water is scarce, and the traveller and his 

 beasts suffer in consequence, the presence of the 

 guinea fowl is always more than welcome, for it is- 

 never to be found far from vley or spring. 



