1866.] THE KING-HUNTER, BIRD LIFE. 161 



(probably by crabs), which now, being hard, are difficult 

 to walk over ; under the trees it is perfectly smooth. The 

 Mopane-tree furnishes the iron wood of the Portuguese Pao 

 Ferro : it is pretty to travel in and look at the bright 

 sunshine of early morning ; but the leaves hang perpen- 

 dicularly as the sun rises high, and afford little or no 

 shade through the day,* so as the land is clayey, it 

 becomes hard-baked thereby. 



We observed that the people had placed corn-granaries 

 at different parts of this forest, and had been careful to 

 leave no track to them — a provision in case of further 

 visits of Mazitu. King-hunters f abound, and make the air 

 resound with their stridulous notes, which commence with a 

 sharp, shrill cheep, and then follows a succession of notes, 

 which resembles a pea in a whistle. Another bird is par- 

 ticularly conspicuous at present by its chattering activity, 

 its nest consists of a bundle of fine seed-stalks of grass hung 

 at the end of a branch, the free ends being left untrimmed, 

 and no attempt at concealment made. Many other birds 

 are now active, and so many new notes are heard, that it 

 is probable this is a richer ornithological region than the 

 Zambesi. Guinea-fowl and francolins are in abundance, 

 and so indeed are all the other kinds of game, as zebras, 

 pallahs, gnus. 



19th December. — I got a fine male kudu. We have no 

 grain, and live on meat alone, but I am better off than the 

 men, inasmuch as I get a little goat's-milk besides. The 

 kudu stood five feet six inches high ; horns, three feet on 

 the straight. 



20th December. — Peached Casembe,$ a miserable hamlet 



* The tamarind does the same thing in the heat of the day. 



f A species of kingfisher, which stands flapping its wings and attempt- 

 ing to sing in a ridiculous manner. It never was better described than by 

 one observer who, after watching it through its performance, said it was 

 " a toy-shoppy bird." — Ed. 



% Xot the great chief near Lake Moero of the same name. 

 VOL. I. M 



