UZONGOBA AND THE NYANZA. 251 of streams, where there are patches of sand or gravel, and where good holding ground can be found. In some places long mud-banks or sandy spits run far out into the Lake, having only three or four feet of water on them, and marked by a thick growth of water-lilies, reeds, papyrus, and other aquatic plants. Proceeding westwards to the Katonga, the coast-line is broken by deep bays, forming good harbours, the largest being Murchison Bay. South of the Katonga river the country is less hilly, and the shores are often very flat and swampy, with sandy beaches, and clothed with magnificent forest trees. The bed of the Nyanza at this point slopes very gradually down ; the fishermen may be seen punting about their rafts a mile or more from shore, and the lead shows a depth of only five fathoms at a distance of between two and three miles from land. Nearing the Kagera river, the hills recede still farther from the Lake, and dense beds of ambatch are found, growing in from four to six feet of water. These ambatch bushes are the resort of numerous water-fowl, especially of the curious darter. These birds have most marvellous powers of diving, but after a time their feathers become saturated, so that they are comparatively helpless in the water ; they then betake themselves to these bushes, perching on the boughs with extended wings till the moisture has evaporated, strongly reminding one of old clothes