164 EGYPTIAN BIRDS 
you sail along you frequently see, first here, then 
there, fish jumping out of the water, and when 
you look into the shallows in all directions you 
see shoals of little fishes. Then the number of 
fishing-boats, with their great nets picturesquely 
hung up to dry, is another visible evidence of the 
teeming myriads of fish that this saltish-water lake 
contains. The first Flamingoes I saw were in the 
centre of a large flock of tufted Ducks. Leaving 
the dahabeah I got into the small boat and quickly 
paddled towards them, but they would not allow 
of a very near approach before up got the Duck, 
and then in another moment the Flamingoes, who 
had up to then been feeding with heads down in 
the water, were all on the wing—to rise they faced 
for one minute in my direction, and the great mass 
of crimson feathers under the wings made a most 
gorgeous spectacle against the blue sky ; then they 
swung round, and more white than red was visible, 
and quickly in a long irregular line they were away 
to some less disturbed place. Only once did I get 
really close up to one, and I found out afterwards 
by the hanging leg that it only allowed me to 
because it was some poor crippled bird. They 
are so shot at and persecuted generally that they 
are now exceedingly shy, and in spite of the good 
