DOWN THE NILE; THE GIANT ELAND 443 
below Nimule, I had been struck by the comparative 
unwariness of these birds, one of them repeatedly landing 
on a rock a few yards away from me, and thence slipping 
unconcernedly into the swift water—and, by the way, it 
was entirely at home in the boiling rapids. But the con¬ 
duct of Loring’s bird was wholly exceptional. He was 
taking a swim in a pool when the bird lit beside him. It 
paid no more heed to the naked white man than it would 
have paid to a hippo, and although it would not allow 
itself to be actually touched, it merely moved a few feet out 
of his way when he approached it. Moreover it seemed to 
be on the lookout for enemies in the air, not in the water. 
It was continually glancing upward, and when a big hawk 
appeared, followed its movements with close attention. 
It stayed in and about the pool for many minutes before 
flying off. I suppose that certain eagles and hawks prey 
on cormorants; but I should also be inclined to think that 
crocodiles at least occasionally prey on them. 
The very most attractive birds we met in middle Africa 
and along the Nile were the brave, cheery little wagtails. 
They wear trim black and white suits, when on the ground 
they walk instead of hopping, they have a merry, pleasing 
song, and they’ are as confiding and fearless as they are 
pretty. The natives never molest them, for they figure to 
advantage in the folklore of the various tribes. They came 
round us at every halting place, entering the rest-houses in 
Uganda and sometimes even our tents, coming up within 
a few feet of us as we lay under trees, and boarding 
our boats on the Nile; and they would stroll about camp 
quite unconcernedl}^, in pairs, the male stopping every 
now and then to sing. Except the whiskey jacks and 
