226 FROM NORTH POLE TO EQUATOR. 



open their formidably- toothed jaws wide, and sleep till evening; 

 there may be ten, twenty, or thirty of them on a single sand-bank. 

 Now the sand-banks, both river-banks, and the shores of the larger 

 islands are covered with flocks of birds whose numerical strength 

 is most impressive. For, by this time of year most of the native 

 shore-birds and swimming-birds have ended their brooding labours, 

 and frequent the shores of the river with their young to enjoy, while 

 they are moulting, the abundant and easily-procured food. About 

 the same time, too, the migratory birds from the north arrive to 

 pass the winter here. The last-named are also to be found in every 

 part of the primeval forest, but are not nearly so much in evidence 

 there as by the river, whose banks and islands are covered by the 

 largest and most conspicuous species. It may even happen that the 

 available space by the river is too small, the rich supply of food 

 insufficient for the number of claimants. Thus every space is more 

 than fully occupied, every promising hunting-ground is visited by 

 thousands, every sleeping-place even is fought over. For three 

 days I sailed, in an excellent boat and with a very good wind, up 

 the White Nile, and during the whole long journey both banks 

 were uninterruptedly covered with a gay and motley throng of 

 littoral and aquatic birds. In the midst of the forests about the 

 Blue Nile one can see a similar sight. Extensive sand-banks are 

 completely covered by gray and demoiselle cranes, but they only 

 serve these winter visitors as resting, sleeping, and moulting places, 

 from whence they fly out every morning into the steppe in search of 

 food, returning about mid-day to drink, bathe, dress their feathers, 

 and to spend the night, though they are in continual danger from 

 the crocodiles. Regularly about mid-day they are joined by several 

 crowned cranes whose visit always causes lively excitement, for 

 they are, if not better, at least more ardent dancers than the other 

 cranes, and on their arrival they never fail to exhibit their skill, 

 and thus to incite the others to rivalry. On the same sand-banks 

 one may often see tantalus-ibises, magnificent stork -like birds, with 

 rosy-white plumage and brilliant rose-red wings, which take posses- 

 sion of the extreme edge of the island or the neighbouring damp 

 places. In a good light they literally glow, and they are at all times 



