710 
MR. G. H. GURNEY ON NATURAL HISTORY 
three species of Vultures, Hawks without number, Bustards, 
Orioles, most gorgeous black and yellow Hornbills, Rollers, 
Bush Shrikes, Weavers, Bee-eaters, Warblers and Fly 
Catchers, and the beautiful little Sunbirds ( Nectarinia ) which, 
with the sunlight flashing on the metallic greens, scarlet and 
gold of their plumage, hover like moths as they suck the 
nectar from the long tubes of the flowering shrubs. Among 
the woods were tall dead trees, bare of bark, having been killed 
by bush-fires many years ago, these attract many Wood- 
peckers of different sorts who make the dry wood resound 
with loud tapping sounds ; and when the Woodpeckers have 
left, glossy Starlings ( Lamprocolius ) of wonderful metallic 
purple and green lustre, come and go, uttering at intervals 
strings of discordant screeches that set one’s teeth on edge. 
From the branches of the tall gum-trees which hang over the 
river’s edge are suspended the extraordinary nests of all 
shapes and sizes of the Weaver Birds, especially of the Widow 
Weaver Bird ( Vidua principalis). In the breeding season the 
males of this species develop tails sometimes a foot long, it was 
amusing to watch one of these birds in flight from one point 
to another, he really looked as though he would never get there, 
so weighed down does he seem by his long tail, and endeavour- 
ing all the time to keep himself up by a series of odd jerks. 
But it would be wearisome if I went on telling you of all 
the things I saw and shot day after day during this part of 
our “ safari,” of the variety and beauty of the scenery we 
travelled through, of the animals we shot, and of the many 
amusing and sometimes trying adventures which befel us 
until we arrived on Thursday, February 20th, at Lake 
Naivasha ; this magnificent bit of water which is about four 
hundred miles from the coast, is nearly eleven miles long and 
six broad, with two or three small islands near the south end ; 
on the w r est side of the lake good sized hills and mountains 
slope gently down to its shore and tropical forests of dense 
jungle border its northern end. The lake is fringed nearly 
the whole way round with dense banks of Papyrus, in many 
places twenty feet high, while beyond this, the water is 
covered with the most beautiful blue and purple Water-lilies, 
