AND LOWER EGYPT. 337 



birds fell the victims of the exalted opinion which 

 had been formed of their species. The shooting- 

 match would not have concluded so soon, and we, 

 to all appearance, should have been eight days in 

 reaching Cairo, from the numerous zig zags which 

 our heroes of the chase led us through, and the 

 frequent pauses with which they interrupted our 

 navigation, if the surgeon, in a transport of orni- 

 thological enthusiasm, had not allowed himself to 

 fall into the hold of the boat, exactly into the 

 middle of a kettle of lentils which was cooking 

 for the boat's crew. This catastrophe was the sig- 

 nal of peace with the pretended ibis, and we were 

 enabled to continue our voyage without any other 

 inconvenience than the fatigue of hearing excla- 

 mations on the importance of a pretended disco- 

 very which had very nearly cost the surgeon rather 

 more than it was worth. 



I discovered in an aquatic spot, which was co- 

 vered with reeds, a coot *, or morella, in Egypt 

 hoor : 1 have since then had an opportunity of pro- 

 curing several of these birds, and on comparing 

 them with the description which Buffon has given, 

 I remarked some difference of tints in the plu- 

 mage. The most striking of these differences is 



* Foulque. Buffon, Hist. Nat. desOis. etpl.enlum. No. 197. 

 —Fulica atra. Lin. 



vol. i. z on 



