OTHER BIRDS 337 



of francolin in the forest, and a third, a larger 

 and much more sporting bird not unlike the 

 British variety, in the higher portions of the 

 country, may occasionally be shot. As a rule, I 

 find, the most favourable opportunities occur 

 when one is armed with a rifle. The open grass 

 country abounds with quail of, I believe, two or 

 three species, whilst here and there the good- 

 looking painted snipe may occasionally be flushed. 

 The last mentioned, however, are far from 

 numerous, and many persons familiar with this 

 part of Africa are entirely unaware of their 

 occurrence. 



For those who are interested in obtaining 

 striking ornithological specimens there are many 

 types among the shore birds and waders, and 

 among the marsh-dwellers of Zambezia, as well 

 as hundreds of others which are well worthy of 

 preservation. Foremost among these come the 

 rarely beautiful saddle-billed storks, the crested 

 crane — that splendid creature which grows so 

 touchingly tame, and which should be sedulously 

 encouraged to acclimatise itself in England in 

 place of the deafening and often frowsy peacock. 

 In addition to the foregoing there are to select 

 from about twenty-six varieties of pelicans, 

 cormorants, storks, and herons ; twelve of ducks 

 and geese ; twenty-five of hawks, buzzards, kites, 

 eagles, and falcons ; ten of kingfishers, and about 

 fourteen of jewel-like sunbirds — ^those rarely 

 beautiful creatures, the vividly iridescent sheen of 

 whose exquisite polychromatic feathers makes one 

 at times almost gasp with surprise and pleasure, 



