260 THE DARTER.— THE FISH-HAWK. 



ous others. From want of books of reference, I could not decide 

 whether they were actually new to science. 



Francolins and Guinea-fowl abound along the banks ; and on 

 every dead tree and piece of rock may be seen one or two species 

 of the web-footed Plotus, darter, or snake-bird. They sit most 

 of the day sunning themselves over the stream, sometimes stand- 

 ing erect with their wings outstretched; occasionally they may 

 be seen engaged in fishing by diving, and, as they swim about, 

 their bodies are so much submerged that hardly any thing ap- 

 pears above the water but their necks. The chief time of feeding- 

 is by night, and, as the sun declines, they may be seen in flocks 

 flying from their roosting-places to the fishing-grounds. This is 

 a most difficult bird to catch when disabled. It is thoroughly ex- 

 pert in diving — goes down so adroitly and comes up again in the 

 most unlikely places, that the people, though most skillful in 

 the management of the canoes, can rarely secure them. The 

 rump of the darter is remarkably prolonged, and capable of be- 

 ing bent, so as to act both as a rudder in swimming, and as a lev- 

 er to lift the bird high enough out of the water to give free scope 

 to its wings. It can rise at will from the water by means of this 

 appendage. 



The fine fish-hawk, with white head and neck, and reddish- 

 chocolate colored body, may also frequently be seen perched on 

 the trees, and fish are often found dead which have fallen vic- 

 tims to its talons. One most frequently seen in this condition 

 is itself a destroyer of fish. It is a stout-bodied fish, about fif- 

 teen or eighteen inches long, of a light yellow color, and gayly 

 ornamented with stripes and spots. It has a most imposing ar- 

 ray of sharp, conical teeth outside the lips — objects of dread to 

 the fishermen, for it can use them effectually. One which we 

 picked up dead had killed itself by swallowing another fish, 

 which, though too large for its stomach and throat, could not be 

 disgorged. 



This fish-hawk generally kills more prey than it can devour. 

 It eats a portion of the back of the fish, and leaves the rest for 

 the Barotse, who often had a race across the river when they 

 saw an abandoned morsel lying on the opposite sand-banks. The 

 hawk is, however, not always so generous, for, as I myself was a 

 witness on the Zouga, it sometimes plunders the purse of the 



