38 



HAMLYN'S MENAGERIE MAGAZINE. 



to carry out their proposals, is that the use of 

 mechanically-propelled boats or vehicles for the 

 purpose of killing or taking wild birds should be 

 prohibited. A new danger to bird life has, it is 

 pointed out, been introduced by the shooting or 

 bombing of birds from aircraft, and already 

 considerable destruction has resulted. The Com- 

 mittee recommend that the use of aircraft for the 

 purpose of killing or taking wild birds should be 

 prohibited. The Committee also recommend that 

 rewards should be given to informers where con- 

 viction results. 



Recognising that the trade of bird catcher is 

 of great antiquity, and having no desire to see 

 it interfered with provided safeguards are estab- 

 lished, the Committee think it would be well if 

 all bfrd catchers were required to take out a 

 license, costing, say, 5/- a year. They also 

 recommend that there should be regular and care- 

 ful inspection of shops and places where birds 

 are kept with a view to the prevention of the 

 keeping- of birds under bad conditions, and that 

 bird dealers should also be required to take out a 

 license. With regard to international action for 

 the protection of birds, the Paris Convention of 

 1902 is discussed in detail. Provided certain diffi- 

 culties in the Convention can be overcome, the 

 Committee recommend that the Convention should 

 be adopted by his Majesty's Government, and 

 that the necessary amendments in the law should 

 be incorporated in the new Act. 





THE NGOLOKO-What was it? 



A MYSTERY OF THE AFRICAN BUSH. 



The London " Sphere" gives the following 

 particulars of a supposed strange beast. 



During the war there came to our notice an 

 account of a mysterious animal or being seen in 

 the African Bush, but owing to the pressure of 

 war news, we were unable to set it before our 

 readers at the time. The first public account 

 of this strange being, the Ngoloko, appeared in 

 "Blackwood's Magazine," from which, with their 

 permisssion, we give the following condensed ac- 

 count. 



The writer of the narrative describes the 

 scene as he penetrated a mangrove swamp with 

 his party of natives. They camped not far from 

 the sea, with dry sandy mud immediately around 

 them, and great mangroves and swamp vegetation 

 beyond. Night comes, and it so happens that 

 an eclipse of the moon takes place. The men talk 

 of things lucky and unlucky, when there is a 



sudden sound — "Oo-ee" — clear and penetrating 

 through the night. 



"What is that?" I say. No one answers. 



Then another 'voice,' nearer this time, and 

 with a note in it that sets ones' hair on end. 



"What is that?" I repeat mere peremptorily. 



"The Ngoloko!" whispers some one. 



A couple of extra logs are thrown on the 

 first and all close in. 



The men tell queer stories of the strange 

 beast, semi-human in appearance, and of various 

 encounters! with it. 



The Ngoloko — oir, as it is also named in 

 various dialects of parts of the East African 

 Coast, Milhoi, Millihoi, Mallihoya, or Maleddi 

 whatever else he may be, is evidently regarded as 

 a formidable "Jinnee." 



One of the most curious points in these native 

 narratives, and one that keeps recurring through- 

 out, is the creature's power of human speech. 

 In moments of great terror it can be understood 

 how gross mistakes can be made, but several 

 of the observers were under no such influence — 

 had, in fact, at first no knowledge of the presence 

 of the Ngoloko. Are we to assume that it is a 

 delusion? Inquiries show that no mysterious 

 disappearances are attributed to its agency; no 

 cases of mental collapses. 



• It was not until a little later that the author 

 actually came across strange footprint^, 'which 

 were thought to be those of a Ngoloko. 



My work took me that day some eight or 

 nine miles' away, and on my way back to camp, 

 which had not been shifted, I left the footpath I 

 had been following and, in spite of the mid-day 

 heat, struck after some game. I was not much 

 more than half a mile from camp, and was cross- 

 ing one of the bare spaces of dry, sandy clay, when 

 I came upon a spoor such as I had never seen 

 to that day. My boys noticed it, too, and we all 

 stood looking at it for some little time. 



"What has passed here?" I inquired at 

 length. 



"The Ngoloko !" 



' "How old is this spoor?" 



"About twelve hours." Others agreed. 



"Yes, Bwana; we told you it was; the Ngolo- 

 ko, and you would not believe us. Now you 

 know how it was that we did not sleep." 



And I did, for the tracks were indisputable; 

 and they were tracks of a creature I should not 

 care to -meet without a leaded rifle at hand. 



A reproduction of the footprint was taken 

 on the spot by placing a piece of paper over the 

 track and marking the outline with a pencil. In 



