Chap. XIV. 
WATEE-FOWL, 
253 
surface of tlie water can be so well performed as to yield a 
mealj for it is usually done in tlie dark. Like most aquatic 
feeders, they work by night, when insects and fishes rise to 
the surface. They have great affection for their young, its 
amount being increased in proportion to the helplessness of the 
offspring. 
There are also numbers of spoonbills, nearly wliite in plumage; 
the beautiful, stately flamingo; the Numidian crane, or demoiselle, 
some of which, tamed at Government House, Cape Town, struck 
every one as most graceful ornaments to a noble mansion as they 
perched on its pillars. There are two cranes besides—one light 
blue, the other also light blue, but mth a wlnte neck; and gulls 
{Procellaria) of different sizes abound. 
One pretty little wader, an avoset, appears as if standing on 
stilts, its legs are so long; and its bill seems bent the wong 
way, or upwards. It is constantly seen wading in the shallows, 
digging up little slippery insects, the peculiar form of the bill 
enabling it to work them easily out of the sand. When feeding, 
it puts its head under the water to seize the insect at the 
bottom, then lifts it up quickly, making a rapid gobbling, as if 
swallowing a wiiggling worm. 
The Parra Africana runs about on the surface as if walking 
on water, catching insects. It too has long, thin legs, and 
extremely long toes, for the purpose of enabling it to stand on 
the floating lotus-leaves and other aquatic plants. Wlien it 
stands on a lotus-leaf five inches in diameter, the spread of toes, 
acting on the principle of snow-shoes, occupies all the surface, 
and it never sinks, though it obtains a liveHliood, not by swim¬ 
ming or flying, but by walking on the water. 
Water-birds, whose prey or food requires a certain aim or 
action in one direction, have bills quite straight in form, as the 
heron and snipe; while those which are intended to come in 
contact with hard substances, as breaking shells, have the biUs 
gently curved, in order that the shock may not be communicated 
to the brain. 
The Barotse valley contains great numbers of large black 
geese.* They may be seen everywhere walking slowly about 
* Answer leuco.gaster and melanogaster. 
