120 SAVAGE SUDAN 



terminal "tassel" naturally waved to and fro according to 

 the wind and the movements of the beast. 



Where the trees grew thicker hence where one would 

 less expect such a thing a pair of bustards rose from the 

 grass close by and I got them both as they dodged, 

 woodcock-like, through the branches. They were velvety 

 black beneath, with bold white splashings on wings, and 

 were, if I remember aright, Hartlaub's bustards. There 

 occur, however, two species of lesser bustard in this 

 region, Hartlaub's and Lovat's (of both of which we shot 

 several), which may well be likened to Caesar and Pompey 

 "very much alike, especially Pompey." They were 

 both, however, excellent eating, as were also the francolins 

 {Francolinus clappertoni], which could always be found by 

 the riverside at dawn and towards dusk. These francolins 

 were strangely silent for their noisy tribe. I never heard 

 them utter a note. Sandgrouse, on the other hand, were 

 distinctly clamant, springing with loud wing-clap and 

 croaking harshly as they flew. We often fell in with 

 packs of these Pterocles quadricinctus on the dry grass 

 prairies inset amidst forest and far back from the river. 



No living creature fears the kite. He is a regular 

 parasite, attending every camp and kill, ready to snatch 

 up morsels from the midst of the men ; but never (save 

 once) have I seen him attack a living thing or seize a 

 scrap too big to carry off. On one occasion, Lynes, 

 having carefully preserved and labelled a "cut-throat 

 finch," laid it out to dry on a chop-box within a yard of 

 his elbow. Instantly down swept a kite and away went 

 the cherished specimen. We had the mortification to see 

 the white label fluttering from his talons while the thief 

 vainly bent his head down to tear the flesh he found 

 only cotton-wool ! 



The one exception mentioned was equally amusing. 

 A grass-fire had burned down to the river's edge and 

 leaping flames blazed and crackled in the fringing papyrus, 

 causing consternation amongst the swarming bats that 



