THE LAST JOURNAL OF W. A. FORBES. 467 



canoe alone, rather earlier than usual, and got a long way down. Shot 

 an adult Jagana, an Ispidina cyanotis, one of the smaller Flycatchers so 

 common along creek, a couple of Merops (very common all along lower Ibis, 1883, 

 part), as well as a couple of the orange-winged Bats. All the wing- p ' ' 

 membranes are cadmium-yellow ; the muzzle, nose-leaf, and ears light 

 orange-yellow (diaphanous) ; fur yellowish grey. Saw also Ceryle maxima, 

 the Greenshank of Egga, the small grey Heron, and apparently also 

 Ardea purpurea, or perhaps young A. goliath. A good-sized Monitor 

 tumbled off a tree into the boat, but got away. 



Nov. 6th. Appetite still good. Went out in evening down creek. 

 Shot a Peristera afra and Halcyon cinereifrons or dryas (upper mandible 

 scarlet, blackish at apex ; lower black, shaded with red ; feet red ; iris 

 brown), a Merops, SchizorTiis, HypTiantornis personatus (in change), and a 

 Swallow of the species so common at Lukoja. Saw Ceryle maxima again, 

 and the Monitor in the same place ; also saw plenty of Merops nubicus 

 and M. castus. 



Nov. 7th. Spent day as usual. In evening went down other branch 

 of creek. Got three birds Halcyon senegalensis, Corythornis cceruleo- 

 cephala, and (Edicnemus, the latter being what we had taken for young 

 of Hoplopterus. Saw also a Heron (size of Ardea cinerea) with yellow 

 legs and beak, in brown striated plumage ; nearly sure it is Ardea pur- 

 purea, jr. In creek saw several Ceryle gigantea, but could not shoot one ; 

 also lots of Plotus. Young Merops nubicus was in thousands, in great 

 swarms high in air, flying over the fields, and in forties and fifties on the 

 trees ; mixed with it a good number of M. castus. Got a shot at a pair 

 of Ibis, but missed. Also saw an Eagle, apparently a young Spizaetus 

 occipitalis. Plenty of Merops erythropterus, Euplectes ignicolor, &c. 



Nov. 8th. Skinned birds in morning, and filed down brass cartridges 

 to fit shot-gun. No canoe to be had in evening ; so did not go out at 

 all. Not so well, with no appetite and some fever (? in consequence). 

 Took a strong dose of quinine, and slept better. Comet still visible in 

 east by a little south, higher than it was at E/abba. Canoe arrived at 

 last from Egga, with stores and gin. 



Nov. 9th. All right again. Packed up and soldered spirit-specimens. Ibis, 1883, 

 Did not go out in canoe in evening, as all the people are engaged getting P- 5 ^ p 

 sticks &c. for wall of new factory. Took a walk along hills and back 

 along top, but saw nothing. Slept very badly. 



Nov. 10th. Packed away bird-skins. Greenshields shot a Crow, 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 Flycatcher (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 (Epomophorus) 

 fluttering in water, apparently bathing. 



