2o 4 
A NATURALIST ON TILE PROWL. 
finger,” which bizzed and fluttered away among the dead 
leaves like a startled Spurfowl. I shouted for my net, but 
my trusty henchman was out of hearing. “ So he too 
wants breath,” I thought, and was pleased. 
Relief came now 
as the path wound 
round the hill and 
even dipped a little 
to cross a babbling 
stream overhung by 
a wicked tangle of 
rattan palm. In the 
whole vegetable king- 
dom there is nothing 
more utterly vicious 
than this cane. Every 
joint is setwith spines, 
every frond fringed 
with recurved thorns, 
and, as if this were 
not enough, it holds 
out long coachwhips, 
toon tree. green and supple, 
