84 HAWKS 



Another hawk worth noticing, although much less common 

 than the two previously mentioned ones, is the lesser falcon, a 

 small but very courageous bird, which has long attracted the 

 attention of the Malagasy for its swiftness. The native name, 

 Vbromahery, or " Powerful bird," is also that of the tribe of 

 Hova Malagasy who inhabit the capital and its near neighbour- 

 hood, and this falcon also was adopted as a crest or emblem 

 by the native government, and its figure was engraved on their 

 official seals. Its flight is extremely rapid, more like that of an 

 arrow than that of a bird. 



Many of the Malagasy hawks are beautiful birds, with 

 horizontal bars of alternate light and dark colour on breast and 

 tail ; but perhaps the most handsome of them all is the Rayed 

 Gymnogene, which is of a pearly-grey colour, barred with black, 

 while on the tail and quill feathers are broad bands of pure 

 white and intensely glossy black. This bird stands high, having 

 very long legs, with a crest of feathers on the crown and neck. 



As the end of October draws near the people are busily at 

 work, not only in the rice-fields, but also repairing then* houses, 

 mending their grass or rush roofs, and hurrying on their sun- 

 dried brick or clay building before the heavy rains fall. The 

 majority of native houses are of those materials, and everything 

 must be finished, or at least well protected from the weather, 

 before the rainy season comes on. The water-courses, too, need 

 attention, and the river banks must be repaired, lest a succession 

 of heavy rains should swell the streams, break through the 

 embankments and flood the rice-plains. 



SUMMER : NOVEMBER, DECEMBER, JANUARY AND FEBRUARY. 

 Summer in central Madagascar is not only the hot season, but 

 it is also the rainy season, very little rain falling at any other 

 time of the year. It is accordingly called by the Malagasy 

 Fahavaratra i.e. " thunder-time " since almost all heavy rain 

 is accompanied by a thunderstorm ; and taking the average of 

 a good many years, this season may be said to commence at the 

 beginning of November. 



As the sun gets every day more nearly vertical at noon, on 

 his passage towards the southern tropic, the heat increases, and 

 the electric tension of the air becomes more oppressive. For a 

 week or more previous to the actual commencement of the rains, 

 the clouds gather towards evening, and the heavens are lighted 



