A GKOVE OF BIRDS. 
317 
specimen. Striking inland from the river's bank, near Thebes, he 
speedily found himself surrounded by irrigated gardens, lying in green 
patches among immense plantations of cotton and castor-oil trees. 
Here and there gigantic palms reared their lofty crests ; and groups of 
sont-trees, sycamores, and tamarisks spread their grateful shade. From 
the hot steaming soil sprouted beds of onion and plots of dourra and 
other corn. The whole grove was astir with wings. Blue pigeons and 
Senegal doves cooed on every tree ; hoopoes, with nodding plumes and 
graceful bearing, moved airily along the ground ; in the soft warm 
flush of many-coloured light, the bright green bee-eaters flashed to and 
fro like living gems ; hooded crows, with heavy gait and hoarse 
clamour, hurried away in search of food ; and Sardinian warblers and 
numerous other small birds sported among the blossoming branches 
of the castor-oil and cotton trees. As the traveller gazed on this 
animated scene, his attention was arrested by the flight of a great 
spotted cuckoo across an open glade, and he immediately resolved to 
attempt his capture. He followed him for a long time through the 
dense foliage which surrounded him, now catching a glimpse, now 
fearing he had lost him, until, seeing him perched on the high top of 
a palm at a long distance, he took aim and fired. To his dismay, the 
bird flew off" towards the river, apparently unhurt ; but in a minute or 
two he observed that his flight was unsteady, and just as he reached 
the river's edge he saw him drop headlong into the water, though with 
outstretched wings he managed to keep afloat. His dahabeah, or Nile- 
boat, happened fortunately to be just passing the spot, and his gesticula- 
tions induced the reis or master to make a dash at him with his boat- 
hook. He failed ; but a sailor, casting off" his robe and turban, sprang 
overboard, and with a few sturdy strokes gained the prize and carried 
it safe to shore. 
THE STORK. 
A famihar sight in Cairo, and in other Eastern towns, is that of 
the great white stork, which plays the part of scavenger, and by his 
persevering labours does much towards cleansing the streets of super- 
abundant oSal. In the summer, as everybody knows, he wings his way 
westward, and in the Continental towns, especially those of Holland, 
