ae es ON EAST AFRICAN STALKING, ETC. 197 
utmost, though with the exception of the yellow-vented bul-bul 
pi one or two other small birds, few can lay claim to anything 
but a call note, which in most instances is neither melodious 
nor agreeable to the ears of ordinary people, though to a lover 
of nature there is something very pleasant even about these. 
_ The first bird to make itself heard is the bush cuckoo (Centropus 
monachus), whose curious guttural rolling note may often be 
heard on a moonlight night, and nearly always for a few minutes 
about 4 4.M., after which it becomes quiet again tilldawn. The 
next to wake up is the small kingfisher (Hascyon chelicutensts), 
whose pleasant though plaintive voice is also the last to be 
heard in the evening, before the nightjar starts his mono- 
__. tonous sewing-machine-like chatter. No sooner is it daylight 
__ than all the game-birds in the vicinity begin to call and answer 
each other. There is the grating cackle of the guinea-fowl 
_ (Numida coronata), which is by far the most plentiful ot the 
_ four species, excepting V. ptilorhyncha, which, however, is not 
' found in any great numbers south of Lake Baringo, where it is 
"very plentiful. There is the harsh and defiant scream of the 
_ bush francolin (7. Grantii) ; the less harsh and more pleasing 
_ call of the plain francolin (7% coguet) ; the strident guttural 
voice of the florican (Of#is canicollis) ; the curious indescribable 
call of the yellow-throated spur fowl (Pternestes infuscatus) ; 
and later on, between eight and nine o’clock, the shrill scream 
of the small sand-grouse (P¢erocles decoratus) and the guttural 
chuckle of the larger kind (P. gutteradis) as they fly high over- 
head on their way to their favourite drinking-place. Most of 
the above-mentioned game-birds, besides being heard, will 
probably be seen during a morning’s tramp, together with 
innumerable small birds, which keep up a perpetual chatter. 
fact, everything appears to be full of life and energy. Later 
in the middle of the day, everything is quiet and skulking 
the shade; all nature seems dead or asleep, with the 
exception of the butterflies which flit about, and the myriads 
other insects which keep up an incessant hum and ‘sissing’ 
