50 SAVAGE SUDAN 



gift designed to tide over the danger-period since 

 none of the full-winged geese (those that could fly) 

 possessed any such powers. When in full feather and 

 condition, the Egyptian geese like all other wild-geese 

 are very poor hands at diving; even when merely wing- 

 tipped, wounded geese could always be secured without 

 difficulty. But the twin facts afford a double object- 

 lesson in natural history. 1 



A biological fact in connection with the duck-tribe 

 previously observed on Guadalquivir and recorded in 

 Unexplored Spain (p. no), was corroborated on White 

 Nile. That is that certain species, once they have reached 

 full maturity, pair faithfully for life. When from a 

 passing flight an adult female happens to be shot, an 

 adult male will accompany her fall to the very surface of 

 the water (leading the gunner to believe he has killed two 

 with one shot), and will usually return a few minutes later, 

 circling round, piping or quacking disconsolately as 

 though calling to his lost consort. It is the drakes only 

 that exhibit such constancy ; a bereaved duck will continue 

 her flight unheeding. This applies specially to wigeon 

 and pintail, though in Spain we have observed the habit 

 in other species. It certainly indicates that these ducks, 

 'when once mature, pair for life and remain mated all 

 winter, though then forming component units amid 

 hundreds, or thousands, of others. Since many of the 

 duck-tribe do not attain maturity until their second or 

 third year, it follows that these great winter-packs must 

 contain a large proportion of "bachelors" of both sexes. 

 As to the precise manner and methods of mating among 

 these (as well as certain other life-habits), ornithologists 

 who possess Unexplored Spain will find several little 

 sheaves of facts garnered in the chapter entitled "Los 

 Corros," at p. 377. 



1 The circumstance of having one wing broken, may, it is obvious, 

 prove a greater handicap in diving than having no wings at all like trying 

 to row a boat with a single oar ! 



