ZOOLOGY 
343 
being a consumer of enormous quantities of fish. The remarkable darter with 
its long snake-like neck is not uncommon and is a characteristic object on quiet 
reaches of the river, where, perched on the limb of a naked snag, it rests from 
its labours. When in the water, 
like the finfoot, little more 
than the head and neck are 
seen above the surface. The 
smaller pelican is found and, 
I think, the larger species also, 
especially on Lake Tanganyika. 
There are many representa¬ 
tives of the Plovers. The 
Thick-knee, that bustard-like 
bird which also has a sugges¬ 
tion of affinity to the flamingoes, 
lurks on the river banks, confiding in its almost-invisibility against the bare soil. 
The spur-winged plover, also uneatable and, in consequence, very bold, flits 
in front of the boats or steamers and warns the crocodiles of their approach 
with its shrill wailing cry. I remarked in my Congo book on the real friendship 
which appears to exist between the crocodile and the spur-winged plover. I 
have actually seen through a glass the plovers picking at the interstices of the 
crocodiles’ teeth whilst the latter lay half asleep, and these birds never fail to 
warn the sleeping reptile of the approach of an enemy. There are four 
species of Lapwing, and a pretty Stilt plover, which I have met with both 
on the Palombe river and on 
Lake Tanganyika. Curiously 
enough the common Ruff is 
present during certain months 
of the year. There is a 
Woodcock and there is a 
handsome Painted snipe. The 
pretty little Parra or lily- 
trotter has already been 
alluded to. Its feet appear 
enormous; in reality the actual 
size of the toes is not so 
great as the extravagant pro¬ 
longation of the claws in a 
line with the toes which at 
a distance makes the total 
length of the foot appear 
nearly as long as that of the 
bird’s body. By means of 
these extraordinary feet the 
bird can run rapidly over the 
floating vegetation. Even 
should it fall into the water 
it uses the feet for paddling. 
The male Parra is a pretty 
bird—golden-yellow, cream- 
white, chocolate and black. 
