240 
THE DARTEK-THE FISH-HAWK. 
Chap. XIIT. 
together, and various others. From want of books of reference, 
I could not decide whether they were actually new to science. 
Francolins and guinea-fowl abound along the banks; and on 
every dead tree and piece of rock may be seen one or two 
species of the web-footed Plotus, darter, or snake-bird. They sit 
most of the day sunning themselves over tiie stream, sometimes 
standing erect with their wings outstretched; occasionally they 
may be seen engaged in fishing by diving, and, as they swim about, 
their bodies are so much submerged, that hardly anything aj)pears 
above the water but their necks. Their chief time of feeding is 
by night, and, as the sun declines, they may be seen in flocks 
flying from their roosting-places to the fishing-grounds. This is 
a most difficult bird to catch when disabled. It is thoroughly 
expert in diving, —goes down so adroitly and comes up again 
in the most unlikely places, that the people, though most 
skilful in the management of the canoes, can rarely secure 
them. The rump of the darter is remarkably prolonged, and 
capable of being bent, so as to act both as a rudder in swimming, 
and as a lever to lift the bird high enough out of the water to 
give free scope to its wings. It can rise at will from the water 
by means of this appendage. 
The fine fish-hawk, with white head and neck, and reddish- 
chocolate coloured body, may also frequently be seen perched 
on the trees, and fish are often found dead, which have fallen 
victims to its talons. One most frequently seen in this con¬ 
dition is itself a destroyer of fish. It is a stout-bodied fish, 
about fifteen or eighteen inches long, of a light-yellow colour, 
and gaily ornamented with stripes and spots. It has a most 
imposing array of sharp, conical teeth outside the lips—^objects 
of dread to the fishermen, for it can use them effectually. One, 
which we picked up dead, had killed itself by swallowing another 
fish, which, though too large for its stomach and throat, could 
not be disgorged. 
This fish-hawk generally kills more prey than it can devour. 
It eats a portion of the back of the fish, and leaves the rest for 
the Barotse, who often had a race across the river when they 
saw an abandoned morsel lying on the opposite sandbanks. The 
hawk is, however, not always so generous, for, as I myself was a 
witness on the Zouga, it sometimes plunders the purse of the 
