472 THE LAST JOURNAL OF W. A. FOKBES. 



went down creek, getting five birds a Turdus, Dicrurus, JButoridcs, 

 (Edicnemus, and a Caprimulgus, the first two in bush, the last in reed- 

 marsh. Got two shots at the big Kingfisher, and of course missed ; also 

 saw, but did not get, a Cossypha in bush. Dicrurus was in a swarm of 



Ibis, 1883, ten to fifteen, and is awfully active, incessantly in motion. Grot my 

 p ' tenth Polypterus (undamaged) from fishermen in marshes. About 10 P.M., 



as Greenshields and I were sitting in piazza, with lamp, a snake's head 

 appeared above low parapet-wall separating piazza from factory, and 

 disappeared again directly. I saw it, and going out killed (in three 

 shots from 16-bore) a good deal damaging it a fine puff-adder, 44 

 inches long. On dissection it turned out a female full of eggs, but with 

 empty stomach. Shonga cannot be considered exhausted as regards 

 birds, as to-day I have got eight new species, six of which I had not even 

 seen before. Have been here eight weeks, and have got or seen about 

 105 birds. 



Nov. 30th. Not out in morning, but put spirit-specimens in order. 

 Got some fish from Suma (=Sheedi), a black Osteoylossum (?), a Perciue 

 form, and a silvery Clupeoid with ventral and anal fins slightly tinged, 

 with lower lobe of caudal entirely bright red (? same as got at Lukoja). 

 In evening went down creek, but only got a Metier ax (has not this bird 

 lumbar powder-downs ?), beautifully shot. Had a shot at MacrodipUryx ; 

 of course saw, but did not get, the big Ceryle. 



Dec. 1st. Down to palm-groves, but unlucky ; only got one new 

 species, Estrelda subjlava, a Euplectes franciscanus in moult, and another 

 of the doubtful Ploceus. Saw little else, except a flock of five Colius 

 (one of which I might, if not short-sighted, have got), Crithagra, Aga- 

 pornis, &c. Got five fishes from natives two Siluroids (new species : 

 of the silvery form which has lower lobe of tail reddish, and one very 

 heavily armoured), a Polypterus, and two banded-tailed Percoids. The 

 natives have an idea that the eggs of the puff-adder (Edou-Tappa-Nupi- 

 Arka- Yagi = Toruba) produce Polypterus. Got a lot of eggs of a very 

 large Teleostean (? Siluroid), full of yolk (size and colour of a large white- 

 heart cherry), with small very vascular area, pellucid above, in which lie 

 well-developed and active 1^-inch embryos, with perfect black con- 

 spicuous eyes and limbs, extracted from uterus : natives say eggs grow 



Ibis, 1883, to twice the size before hatching : adult has smooth thick skin, of dull 

 p silvery colour; across middle of body (in transverse section) 10 inches. 



In afternoon got a small black snake in stable, coiled up beneath lumber. 

 Took some photographs of beach and natives in afternoon, and after- 

 wards went down creek, shooting a couple of Elminia longicauda in bush. 

 Got a few small fish from native boys, including a nice little Polypterus 

 and the young (of several sizes) of a curious suctorial-mouthed form. 

 This grows to about 18 inches. Felt feverish in evening, and had a 

 wretched night, not getting any sleep after 12. 



