214 C. S. Webb—Notes on a Collecting Trip to N.E. Tanganyika


'caught in this way by people whose last consideration is for the

condition of the birds’ plumage, are usually in a very bad state

and I strongly discouraged this method of capture. I constantly

impressed upon the natives that anything brought to me must be

uninjured and with undamaged plumage. Being accustomed to

their crude methods I was rather surprised to see a native arrive

one day with some Sunbirds which were perfect in every detail.

It was a mystery to me as they were obviously not caught with

lime or snares and I knew that they did not employ nets. The

condition of the birds showed that they had all been caught

quickly as they showed no signs of hunger which they soon do by

puffing out their feathers. My cook boy informed me afterwards

that they had been caught with fermented coco-nut water. This

is a sweet, clear liquid, which is very intoxicating and had been

put into the flowers where the birds fed. Having once tasted

this delicious brew, the birds, following a good old Spanish custom,

did not think of departing until they were full up. By this time,

unfortunately for the birds, they were decidedly under the influence

of drink and were easily caught by the natives. This trick is also

played on monkeys and baboons, when they become too mischievous

in the native plantations, the ordinary coco-nut “ milk ” being

replaced by manufactured coco-nut beer, and when the animals

have had “ one over the eight ” and have become stupid they

are promptly attacked and killed with sticks or bows and arrows.


An interesting bird to be found near Amani is the Yulturine

Fish Eagle (Gypohierax angolensis) which only appears in those

parts of Africa where palm-oil fruits are found. This seems

rather extraordinary for a Fish Eagle, but the evidence seems

conclusive that these fruits are an essential part of the bird’s

diet, without which it would not survive for very long. Another

bird of interest is the Palm Swift (Tachynautes parvus myochrous)

on account of its peculiar nesting habits. The nest is always

attached to a palm leaf and is so small and shallow that it might

be called a ledge. The movement of the leaf in a breeze would

normally dislodge the eggs but this is overcome by sticking the

eggs to the nest with saliva. As these palm leaves are severely



