VOYAGE ON WHITE NILE 147 



close in the long grass regular skulkers like jack-snipe, 

 or rails, or burglars. It was practically impossible to put 

 up a marked bird a second time. They were, more- 

 over, extremely scarce, and we were lucky in securing 

 two fine specimens that day. The second fell in the 

 same instantaneous style, while yet I was wondering what 

 it was. The annexed sketches give an idea of its curiously 

 rounded wings and general appearance. 



We afterwards found these dark-coloured mirafras in 

 two other localities ; always extremely scarce, solitary, 

 and skulking. It was only after traversing many a 



SOBAT BUSH-LARK (Mirajra sobatensis, Lynes). 



toilsome league on those dreary flats that we finally 

 succeeded in securing nine specimens. We probably 

 walked 90 miles for those nine! 



One incident in this prolonged hunt for mirafras fixed 

 itself painfully in my memory. While pushing through 

 tall grass against a strong head-wind, a spear-pointed 

 blade pierced my right eye and my hunting ceased for 

 twenty-four hours. 1 



1 A characteristic feature in these bush-larks (Mirafra) deserves passing 

 note. In British East Africa (as related in On Safari, pp. 249 and 333) 

 where I met with an allied species, Mirafra fischeri'by name, my attention, 

 was first attracted by the curious vibrating sound (not unlike the 

 "drumming" of a snipe at home) produced as the bird was soaring 

 upwards, skylark fashion. Nothing of this habit was observed in our Sobat 

 mirafra, though the seasons were identical. 



