I 
COLONY OF BIRDS 
311 
CHAPTER XXV. 
LTYINQSTONE PREPARES FOR HIS JOURNEY TO THE EAST 
COAST. 
On tho 31st of July ivo parted with our kind Libonts 
friends. Wo planted some of our palm-tree seeds in differ- 
ent villages of this valley. They began to sprout oven 
whilo wo woro there ; but, unfortunately, they wore always 
destroyed by tho mico which swarm in every hut. 
At Chitlane’s village wo collected tho young of a colony 
of tho linlcololo ( Anastomus lamalligerus,) a black, long- 
logged bird, somewhat larger than a crow, which lives on 
shell-fish (Ampullaria') and broeds in society at certain 
localities among the reeds. These places aro well known, 
as they continue thoro from year to year, and bolong to the' 
chiefs, who at particular times of tho year gather most 
of tho young. Tho produco of this “harvest,” as they 
call it, which was presented to mo, was a hundred and 
seventy-five unfledged birds. They had been rather late 
in collecting them, in consequonco of waiting for the 
arrival of Mpololo, who acts tho part of chief, but gave 
them to me, knowing that this would bo pleasing to him, 
otherwise this colony would have yielded double the 
amount. Tho old ones appear along tho Looambyc in vast 
flocks, and look lean and scraggy. The young aro very 
fat, and, when roasted, aro esteemed one of tho dainties of 
the Barotso valley. In presents of this kind, as woll ns of 
oxen, it is a sort of feast of joy, tho person to whom thoy 
are presented having tho honor of distributing tho mate- 
rials of tho feast. Wo generally slaughtered overy ox at 
the villago where it was presented, and then our friends 
and wo rcjoicod together. 
Tho villago ol Chitlano is situated, like all others in the 
Barotso valley, on an eminence, over which floods do not 
