WATER-FOWL. 275 



surface of the water can be so well performed as to yield a 

 meal, for it is usually done in the dark. Like most aquatic 

 feeders, they work by night, when insects and fishes rise to 

 the surface. They have great affection for their young, its 

 amount being increased in proportion to the helplessness of the 

 offspring. 



There are also numbers of spoonbills, nearly white in plumage ; 

 the beautiful, stately flamingo ; the Numidian crane, or demoi- 

 selle, some of which, tamed at Government House, Cape Town, 

 struck every one as most graceful ornaments to a noble mansion, 

 as they perched on its pillars. There are two cranes besides — 

 one light blue, the other also light blue, but with a white neck ; 

 and gulls (Procellaria) of different sizes abound. 



One pretty little wader, an avoset, appears as if standing on 

 stilts, its legs are so long ; and its bill seems bent the wrong way, 

 or upward. It is constantly seen wading in the shallows, digging 

 up little slippery insects, the peculiar form of the bill enabling it 

 to work them easily out of the sand. When feeding, it puts its 

 head under the water to seize the insect at the bottom, then lifts 

 it up quickly, making a rapid gobbling, as if swallowing a wrig- 

 gling worm. 



The Parr a Africana runs about on the surface, as if walking 

 on water, catching insects. It too has long, thin legs, and ex- 

 tremely long toes, for the purpose of enabling it to stand on the 

 floating lotus-leaves and other aquatic plants. When it stands 

 on a lotus-leaf five inches in diameter, the spread of the toes, act- 

 ing on the principle of snow-shoes, occupies all the surface, and it 

 never sinks, though it obtains a livelihood, not by swimming or 

 flying, but by walking on the water. 



Water-birds, whose prey or food requires a certain aim or ac- 

 tion in one direction, have bills quite straight in form, as the her- 

 on and snipe ; while those which are intended to come in con- 

 tact with hard substances, as breaking shells, have the bills gen- 

 tly curved, in order that the shock may not be communicated to 

 the brain. 



The Barotse valley contains great numbers of large black 

 geese.* They may be seen every where walking slowly about, 



* Anser leucagaster and melanogaster. 



