South.
If We Step On Shore, The `Charadrius Caruncula', A Species Of Plover,
A Most Plaguy Sort Of "Public-Spirited
Individual", follows you,
flying overhead, and is most persevering in its attempts to give fair warning
to all the animals
Within hearing to flee from the approaching danger.
The alarm-note, "tinc-tinc-tinc", of another variety of the same family
(`Pluvianus armatus' of Burchell) has so much of a metallic ring,
that this bird is called "setula-tsipi", or hammering-iron.
It is furnished with a sharp spur on its shoulder, much like that
on the heel of a cock, but scarcely half an inch in length.
Conscious of power, it may be seen chasing the white-necked raven
with great fury, and making even that comparatively large bird
call out from fear. It is this bird which is famed for its friendship
with the crocodile of the Nile by the name `siksak', and which Mr. St. John
actually saw performing the part of toothpicker to the ugly reptile.
They are frequently seen on the sand-banks with the alligator,
and, to one passing by, often appear as if on that reptile's back;
but I never had the good fortune to witness the operation described
not only by St. John and Geoffrey St. Hilaire, but also by Herodotus.
However, that which none of these authors knew my head boatman, Mashauana,
stopped the canoe to tell us, namely, that a water-turtle which,
in trying to ascend a steep bank to lay her eggs, had toppled on her back,
thus enabling us to capture her, was an infallible omen of good luck
for our journey.
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* The `Hagidash', Latham; or `Tantalus capensis' of Lich.
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Among the forest-trees which line the banks of the rocky parts of the Leeambye
several new birds were observed. Some are musical, and the songs
are pleasant in contrast with the harsh voice of the little green,
yellow-shouldered parrots of the country. There are also great numbers
of jet-black weavers, with yellowish-brown band on the shoulders.
Here we saw, for the first time, a pretty little bird, colored dark blue,
except the wings and tail, which were of a chocolate hue.
From the tail two feathers are prolonged beyond the rest six inches.
Also, little birds colored white and black, of great vivacity,
and always in companies of six or eight together, and various others.
From want of books of reference, I could not decide whether they were
actually new to science.
Francolins and Guinea-fowl abound along the banks; and on every dead tree
and piece of rock may be seen one or two species of the web-footed `Plotus',
darter, or snake-bird. They sit most of the day sunning themselves
over the stream, sometimes standing erect with their wings outstretched;
occasionally they may be seen engaged in fishing by diving,
and, as they swim about, their bodies are so much submerged
that hardly any thing appears above the water but their necks.
The chief time of feeding is by night, and, as the sun declines,
they may be seen in flocks flying from their roosting-places
to the fishing-grounds.
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