144 
SAVAGE SUDAN 
an undertaking as any I have been guilty of, for an 
ostrich traverses the space of a British county what time 
you cover half a league. There occurs in Baker’s Ismailia 
(vol. i., p. 113) a pertinent remark, had we remembered it. 
That great explorer shot a cock ostrich hereabouts and 
wrote:—“Its stomach was rich in scorpions, beetles, 
leaves of trees, and white quartz pebbles. The bird must 
have travelled from a considerable distance , as there is 
neither rock nor pebble in this neighbourhood.” No; if 
you specially need an ostrich, wait till one comes in sight 
and then do your best. To set out deliberately on the 
quest in a “ big country ” is to waste labour. 
Well, off we set, and so soon as the low tin roofs of 
the settlement and its palm-trees sank from view, not an 
object remained on the uninspiring horizon; all was a 
drear monotony of sere grass, waist-deep. Presently, to 
south-east, a low straggled thorn-growth showed up. To 
this we steered—nothing there. Farther still, and the 
crests of forest-trees peered over the sky-line and we set 
our course thereto. So far, no sign of life had relieved 
our eyes — nothing save a jackal or two, and little 
unknown duikers that sprang from underfoot, but which 
we were debarred from shooting owing to this region 
being “Sanctuary.” We had, however, observed all the 
morning certain birds, in twos and threes and little groups, 
all flying north-east, and which we mistook for terns. 
We wondered why on earth terns should seek this arid 
desert—why? 
While still a half-mile from the forest ahead, we noticed 
one of its nearer trees all blanched with a crowded burden 
of birds. Doves, I thought them, after survey with glass ; 
since doves in certain lights oft show up near snow-white. 
Lowe disagreed, and we advanced to investigate. The 
strangers proved to be the rare swallow-tailed kite, 
Nauclerus riocouri , and so thick did they cluster that 
L. (I only carried a rifle) secured six specimens in his two 
shots. There must have been some 150 massed in that 
