374 FOEEST OF PALM TREES. 



Pelicans glide over the water catching fish, while the Scopus 

 (Scopus umbretta) and large herons peer intently into pools. 

 The large black and white spur-winged goose (a constant ma- 

 rauder of native gardens) springs up, and circles round to find 

 out what the disturbance can be, and then settles down again 

 with a splash. Hundreds of Linongolos (Anastomus lamelli- 

 rjerus) rise on the wing from the clumps of reeds, or low trees (the 

 Eschinomena, from which pith hats are made), on which they 

 build in colonies, and are speedily high in mid-air. Charming 

 little red and yellow weavers (Ploeeidce) remind one of butter- 

 flies, as they fly in and out of the tall grass, or hang to the 

 mouths of their pendent nests, chattering briskly to their mates 

 within. Kites and vultures are busy overhead, beating the 

 ground for their repast of carrion ; and the solemn-looking, 

 stately-stepping Marabout, with a taste for dead fish, or men, 

 stalks slowly along the almost stagnant channels. Groups of 

 men and boys are searching diligently in various places for lotus 

 and other roots. Some are standing in canoes, on the weed- 

 covered ponds, spearing fish, while others are punting over the 

 small intersecting streams to examine their sunken fish-baskets. 



"Towards evening, hundreds of pretty little hawks (Erythro- 

 pus vespertinus) are seen flying in a southerly direction, and 

 feeding on dragon-flies and locusts. They come, apparently, 

 from resting on the palm-trees during the heat of the day. 

 Flocks of scissor-bills (Rhyncops) are then also on the wing, 

 and in search of food, ploughing the water with their lower 

 mandibles, which are nearly half an inch longer than the upper 

 ones. 



" At the northeastern end of the marsh, and about three miles 

 from the river, commences a great forest of palm-trees (Borassus 

 JEthiopium). It extends many miles, and at one point comes 

 close to the river. The gray trunks and green tops of this im- 

 mense mass of trees give a pleasing tone of color to the view. 

 The mountain-range, which rises close behind the palms, is 

 generally of a cheerful green, and has many trees, with patches 

 of a lighter tint among them, as if spots of land had once been 

 cultivated. The sharp angular rocks and dells on its sides have 

 the appearance of a huge crystal broken ; and this is so often the 

 case in Africa that one can guess pretty nearly at sight whether 



