VULTURES AND MARABOUS FRATERNISING TOGETHER 



VII 



Evening on the Marshes 



EVENING on the marshes in Equatorial Africa is a 

 i marvellous thing. To the northerner the sudden 

 disappearance of the sun below the horizon is an ever 

 new surprise. 



With the coming of night, thousands of glow-worms 

 the Kimurri-murri of the natives make their appearance, 

 and grasshoppers mingle their chorus with the curiously 

 wooden, monotonous croaking of the frogs. 



Then there is the buzzing of the mosquitoes also, which 

 infest these localities in myriads, swarming out of the 

 papyrus-beds in their bloodthirsty search for prey. It 

 would not be possible to remain here at all without 

 some protection against their attacks. The mosquito-nets 

 we have with us enable us to hold to our posts, though 

 we do not escape some very painful stings through our 

 clothes. 



Livelier and busier they become ; their buzzing, louder 

 and louder, mingling now with the voices of the marsh- 

 birds, which are most active during the night. There is 



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