c 



XX THORNS 265 



Such seeds are scarcely likely to remain long enough in 

 the gizzard to allow their transference from Italy to 

 Uganda. Darwin's interesting experiment of raising 

 eighty-two plants from seeds casually mixed in a ball of 

 oarth on the leg of a partridge is more to the point. It 

 is easily conceivable, when we reflect that many 

 European birds regularly migrate to the Ethiopian 

 Region in the winter. European birds, such as storks, 

 cranes, cuckoos, nightjars, ducks, pigeons, c[uails, and 

 swallows are common. It is scarcely doubtful that 

 seed-containing mud, acquired by the feet and beaks of 

 birds in the fields and pastures of Southern Europe, is 

 conveyed by these swift messengers. When such mud 

 is deposited in districts where the climatic conditions 

 are favourable, the seeds it contains germinate and 

 reproduce their kind. 



It is an estal)lislied fact that birds find their way 

 from Eurojoe into Africa. It has been proved 

 experimentally. When Slatin was the prisoner of the 

 Kalifa in Khartoum (1883-1895) a crane was killed at 

 Dongola. This bird had a cartrido-e case on its neck 

 containing two small jDapers with an inscription, 

 written in German, French, English, and Russian, 

 stating that the bird had been brought up on an estate 

 in South Russia. The Kalifa, thinking it might be 

 secret intelligence, had Slatin brought into his presence 

 to translate the writing. After the matter had been 

 exj^lained to the Kalifa, he regarded it as " one of the 

 many devilries of those unbelievers who Avaste their 

 time in such useless nonsense." 



Moure, J. E. S The I'anganyika Problevi. London, 1902. 



Roosevelt, T. " African Game Trails," Scribbler's 



Magazine. 1910. XLVIIL, 20. 



Schweinfurth 7'he Heart of Africa, 1868 to 1871. 



Schillings, C. G " With Flashlight and Rifle," /n IKi/tfes< 



Africa, 



