THE WESTERN BEND 



235 



activity of the prey demand it, the bird's wings are half- 

 opened to give an extra turn of speed. 



Often a cordon of pelicans, swimming in column 

 abreast, move slowly along some backwater, all fishing 

 independently. In appearance, such formation might 

 suggest an organised "fish-drive" ; but all that is fantasy. 

 The opaque mud-charged waters of Nile conceal from 



" MURDEROUS MANDIBLES." SADDLE-BILLED JABIRU AND STILT. 



Sketched at Khor Attar. 

 (By inadvertence the Stilt is drawn disproportionately big.) 



the fish all indication of an approaching enemy. Neither 

 drivers, stops, nor flankers are needed. Besides that, Nile 

 fish are inert and sluggish retrograde, like Nile geese? 

 Had the pelican to depend upon catching trout, he would 

 starve in a week. 



Another striking 'fish-eater here is the wood-ibis, a 

 big stork-like bird, mostly black and white but showing 

 a clear pinkish blush. His long curved mandibles are 



