VOYAGE UP WHITE NILE 
61 
sharp strides and a lightning- stroke, the innocent-looking 
egret has attacked ... a fluttering victim hangs from his 
beak! But the captor also lacks prescience. Unless he 
bolts his prey at once (which is not his way), a regular 
mUde ensues. Every heron, stork, and ibis within sight 
joins in the hue and cry, and finally the prize is pouched 
by some more powerful pirate.” 
Spoonbills when feeding keep revolving on their own 
axis, “scuppering” the while among the ooze as children 
go shrimping on a sea-beach, except that at intervals the 
birds cease dredging in order to scoop up their disturbed 
victims-—water-insects, larvse, and animalculse. And in 
Egret Hunting. Spoonbills. 
close attendance upon each group of spoonbills swims a 
shoveller-duck or tw r o, eager to exploit the chance of 
“fishing in troubled waters.” 
On the riverside black-and-white kingfishers, spurwing 
plovers, and chestnut jacanas are conspicuous—the latter 
running over the lily-leaves and floating water-weed ; but 
it is impossible to catalogue all the abounding water-fowl. 
In the forests droves of doves of various species dart 
through the maze of branches or come down to drink at 
dawn and dusk. Hornbills, hoopoes, and green parrots, 
with brilliant rollers and bee-eaters, lend flashes of colour 
to the scene, while birds of prey become- conspicuous. 
Great white-headed river-eagles take post on a lofty tree, 
and at intervals rend the air with wild vociferations. 
