Chap. XIV. WATER-FOWL. 173 



upwards, is constantly to bo seen wading in the shallows and 

 digging up insects, which the peculiar form of its bill enables 

 it to do. It ducks its head under the water to seize the insect at 

 the bottom, then raises it quickly, and makes a rapid gobbling, 

 as if it were swallowing a wriggling worm. The Parra Africana 

 has long thin legs, and extremely long toes, for the purpose of 

 enabling it to stand on the floating plants. When it stands on 

 a lotus-leaf five inches in diameter, its toes covering the sur- 

 face prevent it from sinking. It thus obtains a livelihood, 

 not by swimming or flying, but by walking on the water. 



To these we may add spoonbills, nearly white in plumage ; 

 the beautiful, stately flamingo; the Kumidian crane, or 

 demoiselle ; two other spieces of cranes— one light blue, the 

 other also light blue, but with a white neck; and gulls 

 {Procellaria) of different sizes. 



In the Barotse valley numbers of large black geese * may 

 be seen walking slowly about after their food. They have a 

 strong black spur on the shoulder like the armed plover, but 

 they only use it in defence of their young. They choose 

 anthills for their nests. There are also two varieties of geese, 

 smaller, but better flavoured. One of these, the Egyptian 

 goose or Vulpanser, being unable to rise from the water, is 

 hunted in canoes during the floods. The third is furnished 

 with a peculiar knob on the beak. These, with myriads of 

 ducks of three varieties, abound everywhere on the river. 

 On one occasion, our canoe having neared a bank on which a 

 large flock was sitting, we bagged no less than seventeen 

 ducks and a goose at two shots. No wonder that the Barotse 

 always look back to this fruitful valley as the Israelites did to 

 the flesh-pots of Egypt. The poorest are so well supplied 

 with vegetables from their gardens, with fruits from the forest 

 trees, and with fish from the river, that when their children 

 are taken into the service of the Makololo they become quite 

 emaciated and pine for a return to their parents. 



Part of our company marched along the banks with the 

 oxen, and part went in the canoes. The pace was regulated 

 by that of the men on shore, whose course was impeded 

 by the numerous branches of the Zambesi, which they were 

 obliged either to circumvent or to be carried across in the 

 * Anser leucagaster and mclanogaster. 



