BIRDS — A GOOD OMEN. 223 



one who has sailed on the rivers north of 20 south. If 

 we step on shore, the Charadrius caruncula, a species of 

 plover, a most plaguy sort of " public-spirited individual," 

 follows you, flying overhead, and is most persevering in 

 its attempts to give fair warning to all the animals within 

 hearing, to flee from the approaching danger. The alarm- 

 note, " tinc-tinc-tinc," of another variety of the same 

 family (Pluvianus armatus of Burchell) has so much of a 

 metallic ring, that this bird is called " setula-tsipi," or 

 hammering-iron. It is furnished with a sharp spur on 

 its shoulder, much like that on the heel of a cock, but 

 scarcely half an inch in length. Conscious of power, it 

 may be seen chasing the white-necked raven with great 

 fury, and making even that comparatively large bird call 

 out from fear. It is this bird which is famed for its 

 friendship with the crocodile of the Nile by the name 

 siksak, and which Mr. St. John actually saw performing 

 the part of toothpicker to the ugly reptile. They are 

 frequently seen on the same sandbanks with the alligator, 

 and, to one passing by, often appear as if on that reptile's 

 back ; but I never had the good fortune to witness the 

 operation described not only by St. John and Geoffrey St. 

 Hilaire, but also by Herodotus. However, that which 

 none of these authors knew, my head boatman, Mashauana ? 

 stopped the canoe to tell us, namely, that a water-turtle 

 which, in trying to ascend a steep bank to lay her eggs, 

 had toppled on her back, thus enabling us to capture her,, 

 was an infallible omen of good luck for our journey. 



Among the forest trees which line the banks of the 

 rocky parts of the Leeambye, several new birds were 

 observed. Some are musical, and the songs are pleasant 

 in contrast with the harsh voice of the little green, yellow- 

 shouldered parrots of the country. There are also great 

 numbers of jet-black weavers, with yellowish-brown band 

 on the shoulders. 



Here we saw, for the first time, a pretty little bird, 

 coloured dark blue, except the wings and tail, which were 

 of a chocolate hue. From the tail two feathers are 

 prolonged beyond the rest six inches. Also, little birds 

 coloured white and black, of great vivacity, and always 

 in companies of six or eight together, and various 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 ; 



