712 
MR. G. H. GURNEY ON NATURAL HISTORY 
But to me the chief interest of Lake Naivasha was the 
extraordinary abundance of Waterfowl : Pelicans, Flamingoes, 
Herons, Jacanas, Geese, Egrets, Grebes, small “Waders” of 
all sorts, besides many species of Duck and Snipe, all inhabit 
this, at present, secluded and little known lake, while the 
great chocolate and white Fish Eagles ( Haliaetus vocifer ) 
fly continually over its placid waters. At the east side 
where there is no Papyrus, and where the grassy plains 
slope to the water’s edge, Gazelles, Zebras, Waterbuck, 
and other game come down to drink, but there are no 
Rhinoceros at Naivasha, neither did we see any Lions. 
At the south end of the lake is an extinct volcano called 
Longonot, which appears to be of very great height ; the 
whole of the Naivasha valley is volcanic by nature and also 
in appearance. I climbed to the top of Longonot and was 
well rewarded for my pains, the view from the summit being 
perfectly wonderful ; a magnificent panorama of mountain, 
forest and plain was spread out before my eyes many thousands 
of feet below. Descending into the crater I found its sides 
clothed with a mass of ultra-tropical vegetation, huge trees 
strung together by fibres and flowering creepers, in places so 
dark that the sky was only indicated by twinkling stars of 
blue through the interstices of the leaves^ and where the 
great tree trunks and rotten boughs were covered with wonder- 
ful forms of moss and lichen and occasional orchids ; at the 
bottom were large flocks of Guinea-fowls which are excellent 
eating and made us many a good dinner. 
The flowers and shrubs which we met with round Naivasha 
were particularly striking and beautiful, large pink and 
white Amaryllis Lilies grew in many places, and a pretty 
yellow Sunflower also was very common, while masses of 
bright pink Phlox flourished everywhere ; the common Red- 
hot Pokers of our English gardens grew in the thick scrub and 
many others of whose names I am ignorant, and we found 
some fine Ferns also growing near the lake. 
On March 6th, G. and I started off very early in the morning, 
intending to row right across the lake and make an exploring 
trip into country the far side. Tents, ammunition and 
