386 EXCURSIONS AROUND EGA 



the lake from the west, about thirty miles above Ega ; 

 the breadth of the lake is much contracted a little below 

 the mouth of this tributary, but it again expands further 

 south, and terminates abruptly where the TefEe proper, 

 a narrow river with a strong current, forms its head water. 



The whole of the country for hundreds of miles is 

 covered with picturesque but pathless forests, and there 

 are only two roads along which excursions can be made 

 by land from Ega. One is a narrow hunter's track, 

 about two miles in length, which traverses the forest in 

 the rear of the settlement. The other is an extremely 

 pleasant path along the beach to the west of the town. 

 This is practicable only in the dry season, when a flat 

 strip of white sandy beach is exposed at the foot of the 

 high wooded banks of the lake, covered with trees, which, 

 as there is no underwood, form a spacious shady grove. 

 I rambled daily, during many weeks of each successive 

 dry season, along this delightful road. The trees, many 

 of which are myrtles (Eugenia Egaensis of Martins) and 

 wild Guavas (Psidium), with smooth yellow stems, were 

 in flower at this time ; and the rippling waters of the lake, 

 under the cool shade, everywhere bordered the path. 

 The place was the resort of kingfishers, green and blue 

 tree-creepers, purple-headed tanagers, and humming- 

 birds. Birds generally, however, were not numerous. 

 Every tree was tenanted by Cicadas, the reedy notes of 

 which produced that loud, jarring, insect music which is 

 the general accompaniment of a woodland ramble in a 

 hot climate. One species was very handsome, having 

 wings adorned with patches of bright green and scarlet. 

 It was very common ; sometimes three or four tenanting 

 a single tree, clinging as usual to the branches. On 

 approaching a tree thus peopled, a number of little jets 

 of a clear liquid would be seen squirted from aloft. I 

 have often received the well-directed discharge full on my 

 face ; but the liquid is harmless, having a sweetish taste, 

 and is ejected by the insect from the anus, probably in 

 self-defence, or from fear. The number and variety of 

 gaily-tinted butterflies, sporting about in this grove on 

 sunny days, were so great that the bright moving flakes 

 of colour gave quite a character to the physiognomy of 

 the place. It was impossible to walk far without disturb- 

 ing flocks of them from the damp sand at the edge of the 

 water, where they congregated to imbibe the moisture. 



