7 I 4 
MR. G. H. GURNEY ON NATURAL HISTORY 
the mosquitos being unbearable and the grunts of the Hippos 
all round us making sleep well nigh impossible ; however the 
following morning we were none the worse and the wet stores 
and tents were soon dried by the sun and it was not long 
before we were all packed into the boat again, and after 
some four hours rowing found a good landing place higher up 
the lake. 
We had a fortnight’s most interesting journey into lovely 
country this western side of the lake and I only wish I had 
time to-night to mention all the interesting creatures we saw 
and shot, let alone the magnificent scenery we went through ; 
in my traps which were set every night, I used to catch many 
small mammals, Rats, Mice, etc., and we also saw and shot 
Hyaenas, Jackals, Serval, and one or two small Cats. Of 
Batrachians, the most interesting find was a beautiful Frog, 
a species of Tree-frog; they used to sit on the tall stems of 
the Papyrus reeds and were of a very pale grey colour, their 
throats and under parts being brilliant rose-pink. I collected 
a dozen of them, but they were very fragile and although 
I took endless pains with them, the constant travelling was 
too much for them and one by one they died ; however I was 
luckier with the Giant Snails which I collected on this part of 
my trip, and which I successfully brought back to England 
alive. . 
I have not yet made any mention of the various tribes we 
met, and though it is impossible in a general paper of this 
description to give any detailed account of them, or of their 
very interesting habits and customs, I should like to mention 
a few facts about the Masai tribe which we came a good deal 
in contact with at Naivasha. The Masai were the old fighting 
race and hereditary rulers of this part of Equatorial Africa 
in days gone by, terrorizing their neighbours and looting from 
the weaker tribes indiscriminately ; they are divided into 
several sub-tribes, each of which has its particular device 
painted on the oval skin shield they carry ; they also carry 
a long iron spear and a nasty looking knife or sword. The 
men wear no clothes of any description, though their warriors 
have fine head-dresses of Lions’ manes and Ostrich feathers, 
