Page:The Emu volume 3.djvu/283

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Vol. III. 1904 ]
Stray Feathers.
239

course, one has to pay for everything in this climate with the pound of flesh) sunstroke, followed by fever, and with great difficulty I was brought back to Zanzibar, when, with a good doctor and good nursing, thank God! I am becoming myself again. Now to give you some little glimpse of what the feathered tribes are like which inhabit this vast collection of islands, which are separated by more or less narrow channels lined with dense masses of mangrove trees, growing up straight in many places to the height of 150 feet. There are a rise and fall of tide here from 12 to 16 feet and when the tide goes out vast banks and marshes are laid bare, or partly so, and it is now that one can study the wader family as they busily traverse the banks and shallows (where there are thousands of huge sea-slugs) for their food. Vast flocks come from the sea-shore, others from the tops of the stunted mangroves, where they have been awaiting the going out of the tide. Most conspicuous amongst these birds are the Sea-Curlews—one of giant proportions, and the other species seems almost identical with our own Australian bird. Their shrill call is heard at all times during the day as they fly up or down the channels, and in the quiet of the night their shrill note cuts the atmosphere like a whistle. A bird associating with the last is one that by observation through powerful glasses was evidently our common Greenshank. Unfortunately they were very shy, and no matter what ruse I played I could not get within decent range. I collected four varieties of Sandpipers. Some of the smaller species were in great numbers. Tall and stately Cranes (Egrets) of a pure white, yellow bills and legs, could easily be distinguished amidst the merry throng. Then there is a Crane 4 feet high, jet black, with very long white neck; a slate fellow very much like our White-fronted Heron of Australia; and last, but not least, great numbers of the pretty little White Egret. I am told by the natives that there are three species of Duck, but I only saw, and shot, one species, with a white face—a very elegant bird, and fairly good eating. I may add here that on some of my trips through the channels I have seen small islands on which stunted mangroves grow quite white with the Little Egrets, which get up like a white cloud, without a sound. Leaving the water and taking to the island of Lamu, we find it sandy and covered very thickly with cocoanut trees, but still there are vast thickets of tangled vines and shrubs, also dwarf fan palms, and in these thickets are many birds. First I must mention the small Vulture, which finds its way into the narrow streets of the villages and is exceedingly tame, the natives never molesting these birds, for they are such great scavengers. The White-breasted Raven also helps in the work, and one becomes quite accustomed to its dismal croak. The little black Crow is not such a bold bird, and although he is met with on the outskirts of the villages he is not nearly so trustful. A very familiar bird on the islands is a little black Shrike (Drongo?) with forked tail; it has rather a pleasing note, and is to be seen on the