196 EASTERN ETHIOPIA xv 



The hyrax eats the bark of trees, young shoots, and 

 grass. Some conies live in trees, and it has been 

 suggested that they should be ranked in a special 

 genus, Dendohyrax. These arboreal forms are able to 

 run up the tall juniper and other trees, and disappear in 

 the holes in their trunks, or hide in the clefts of big 

 branches. They are very active and make a great 

 noise at night : and for this reason have been called 

 " gnomes of the primeval forest." 



On one occasion we pitched our camp at Molo (8,000 

 feet above sea level) near a piece of thick forest ; a few 

 hours after sunset the tree conies made a tremendous 

 noise, hissing and squealing for two hours or more. It 

 surprised me, because I was ignorant that they made 

 any noise and it equally astonished me to learn that 

 they are nocturnal animals, and can readily climb trees ! 



In describing the zoological results of the Ruwenzori 

 Expedition, 1905-6, Wroughton states that the hyrax 

 was found in swarms at an altitute of 10,000 feet 

 on Ruwenzori. The animals frequented the cliffs and 

 caves of the tree-heath zone. "They made weird 

 and extraordinary noises in a weird and extraordinary 

 place." These noises are undoubtedly responsible for 

 the Rmvenzori "ghost-story." 



The natives catch large numbers of them in snares, 

 and the skins are sent in great numbers to Europe, 

 especially since they have come into fashion for making 

 waistcoats and lining motor-coats. 



The water of Lake Nakuru is brackish : this makes it 

 attractive to many birds, especially ducks and flamingoes, 

 and many mammals, for they will travel many miles to 

 a salt-lick. 



Amongst the immense numbers of birds which visit 

 this lake I was able to recognise flamingoes, ducks, 

 geese, swallows, bee- eaters, colies, shrikes, guinea fowl, 

 avocets, stilts, herons, wagtails, saddle-billed storks, 

 ibises, screaming plovers, vultures, hawks, eagles, 

 bustards, secretary birds, and quails. An attractive 



