42 SAVAGE SUDAN 



not only of ducks and geese but also of tall cranes, herons, 

 and storks, marshalled rank beyond rank in semblance of 

 squadrons of cavalry. The following- is a careful analysis 

 of the component elements of five of these feathered army- 

 corps, examined consecutively through telescope and 

 prism-binoculars all five during one short forenoon. 



January 22nd. Second Day Out. 



(i) 9.45 A.M. Ahead lies an island that looks a mile in 

 length, but scarce a scrap of its surface is visible by reason 



NILE GEESE (Chenalopex) General Appearance on the Wing. 



of the birds that cover it. The central ridge, all cranes 

 (common, crowned, and demoiselle), surrounded rank beyond 

 rank by big black spurwing geese ; nearer still, mixed mobs 

 of Egyptian geese and shel ducks carpet not only the whole 

 foreshore but extend far out into the open water, where their 

 fringes join up with acres and acres of ducks beyond all count, 

 but including pintail in thousands, wigeon, teal, garganey, 

 shoveller, with straggled bunches of tufted ducks diving in 

 the deeper channel outside. All along these shallows the masses 

 of ducks and geese are punctuated with moving forms of dark 

 ibises and openbills, herons both grey and white the latter 

 in assorted sizes and spoonbills, all these last stalking about 

 amidst their somnolent neighbours, probing, scuppering, 

 dredging, and fishing. Add to these, waders in all sizes and 

 incalculable numbers curlews, whimbrels, godwits, ruffs and 



