266 SAVAGE SUDAN 



from anything met with previously in our own shorter 

 experience. 1 



It may well be observed that, under such conditions, 

 even the tiniest warblers may present as great difficulty 

 to secure as the more imposing trophies of big-game. 



Naturally, boundless bogs such as the Sudd are 

 strongholds for those secretive tribes, the crakes and 

 rails ; but however often their weird voices may be 

 audible, it is rare that these arch-skulkers show up in 

 person. The first few secured proved to be merely the 

 black water-rails, commpn all along White Nile ; but 



IN THE SUDD NIGHT HERONS. " MICROPARRA CAPENSIS." 



one evening Lowe's eye detected something far in under 

 the fringe of overhung sedge quite beyond normal 

 vision and a chance shot, promptly "plugged in," 

 realised a lovely creature, green above, rich purple below, 

 with orange legs and armed as to its quills with a curious 

 spiny process. This was Porphyrio alleni, and next day 

 another porphyrio larger and apparently all black fell, 

 but in impenetrable Sudd, whence two hours' work failed to 

 retrieve it ; thus making the second of its genus similarly 

 lost (see p. 226, note). Yet another member of this 



1 Captain Lynes writes me (1920) that the unknown warblers have 

 been distinguished as follows : 



Calamochicla leptorhyncha nuerensis (Lynes), the Lesser Sudd-warbler. 

 Calamochicla ansorgei> the Greater Sudd-warbler. 



