170 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

quantities of water - fowl are met with ducks, geese, storks, cranes, the sacred and glossy ibis, darters, herons, gulls, and the gorgeous scarlet flamingo.

Mosquitoes swarm in Uganda, and constitute at times a veritable plague. White ants are numerous, and very destructive, and quickly destroy the poles used to support the native huts. Some kinds of timber, however, they do not touch, notably the stems of the wild date palm, which are consequently largely used in house-building. In the months of August and September they emerge in the perfect or winged state from their nests, and are then caught by the natives in vast numbers for food ; they usually come out in the evening, and the Waganda erect small huts over their nests to catch them, as at first they are very feeble on the wing and are easily caught. At this season groups of children may often be seen seated by the roadside, round one of these nests, picking up the insects as fast as they appear, and putting them into their mouths. They are generally fried, and when properly cooked are by no means to be despised. Locusts are also eaten by the Waganda, and resemble fried shrimps when cooked.

The driver ant comes occasionally in swarms into the houses, and drives out everything, taking possession of the whole place. Their bite is like the prick of a red-hot needle, and no one who has ever been