302 
A COLONY IN THE MAKING 
CHAP. 
yellow beak. Both kinds migrate in search of food, 
and if they can be caught on the line of flight will 
cause the expenditure of all the cartridges that one is 
likely to have in stock. The spotted pigeon is 
essentially a woodland bird and at times comes to the 
Mau Forest in huge numbers in search of a particular 
berry. Large bags are then occasionally made by the 
farmers in the neighbourhood and the sport is very 
fascinating. The green pigeon is more often to be 
met with on the belts of trees which edge most streams, 
and in scattered clumps. When the fruit of the wild 
fig trees is ripe the presence of the green pigeon is 
pretty certain, and a bag can be made. When flushed 
it dives off the tree like lightning and affords pretty 
shooting. A larger bag, however, can usually be 
made by lying in wait near a favourite tree and send¬ 
ing natives round to disturb the birds feeding in 
neighbouring woods. Green pigeons are good to eat 
but bad to digest. 
Snipe are a migrant, and one which, unfortunately, 
has not been too plentiful of late years. There are at 
least three varieties : the double, the painted, and the 
common. Snipe may be found at certain seasons in 
the year in nearly all swampy grounds and round the 
edges of lakes and marshes. There is a small piece of 
boggy ground at the back of the military lines in 
Nairobi which is a pretty sure find after the rains. 
Londiani used to have a very good reputation for 
snipe, but lately this has not been sustained. As is 
well known, the warmer the climate or weather the 
straighter and easier snipe fly, and this rule holds good 
in the various parts of the Protectorate. As a 
comestible, however, the snipe never fails. The 
largest bag I can trace is about thirty couple. 
