Ronald Stevens—Capturing Waterfowl



101



thank for that highly interesting trip, I am afraid the results, as far

as the duck were concerned, were absolutely nil. Yellowbill and Tree

Duck were there in plenty, but none of the required species.


It seemed useless going any farther, and I felt very disappointed,

but before returning to Durban I decided to try to find out what

the neighbouring country of Nyasaland had to offer, so telegraphed—

“ What months constitute the breeding season for Nyasaland Duck.

Are young birds on water now ? ” This was the end of July. I was

quite prepared to go on another six or seven hundred miles to Nyasaland

on receipt of a favourable reply but, as none came after waiting several

days, I started the long journey back to Durban with twenty Red-

billed Pintail, six Pochard, and one Hottentot Teal. All fine

conditioned, tame, and hand-reared birds except the Hottentot, which

was wild caught.


When in the Transvaal and motoring by night, my boy missed a

sudden turning in the road, with the result that we went bounding

off into the veldt and the car overturned ! Already frail, after its

months of hard wear, the car was almost completely smashed and

all the duck were crushed to death ! Thus was the result of four

months’ work, travel, and expense in Northern Rhodesia nullified in

a moment ! However, it might easily have been worse as neither

my Zulu driver nor myself received the slightest scratch.


Arrived in Durban again, I found a forwarded telegram from

Nyasaland—“ Yes, young birds on water now therefore advise your

coming immediately.” Too late. I was now committed for Zululand.

There followed soon after a forwarded letter from a friend who had

recently returned from Ulendo in the Loangwa Valley of Northern

Rhodesia. He wrote that he had been camping by a lake where the

duck, according to native report, bred in July, and recommended

my going there at once ! Truly the duck migrations and breeding

seasons of Africa is a study calculated to mystify an ornithologist.


Before starting for Zululand I decided to test information I had

gathered from a certain book with regard to the breeding of Cape

Teal and Black Duck in the Cape Province in July and August. The

best districts were visited but without enthusiasm, for how could duck

be-expected to. breed in such-cold with early morning ice-on the water ?



