146 AN EXCURSION TO LUR.

station. It contained a splendid sycamore, the thick folage of which harboured numerous creatures. Besides the birds which were brooding there (Spermestes cucullatus and sweetvoiced grosbeaks, Crithagra musica), tree snakes, often over three feet in length, and up to eighteen inches in girth, were crawling about, as well as chameleons. In _ the enclosure, wagtails (Motacilla flava, var. griseocapilla, and M. viduad) were singing persistently, and making war upon one another. Adders were also numerous; a specimen we caught measured six feet in length and four inches in girth. All the woodwork was covered with a species of blue-and-white-striped Cerambyx. Several wounded males bore testimony to violent encounters with one another. I caught numerous insects, chiefly Lamellicornias, and Oryctes nasicornis, apparently a cosmopolitan, was very common. In a series of pools close by the river, scorpions were swimming about—Nectodonts, Dytiscus, and lower forms—but unfortunately, owing to the want of preserving fluid, they had to be left where they were.

The neighbouring wood yielded a rich collection of birds, and many new specimens, as far as Hast Africa, at least, is concerned, may be found amongst them. There too I succeeded, to my great joy, in finding a colony of magnificent Coryphegnathus albifrons, and I took its nest and eges. Some years this bird is common at Ladd, as the many specimens I have collected prove; in other years it entirely disappears. I also procured the nest and fledgelings of a barbet (Pogonorhynchus bidentatus) from a high tree, while swarms of weaverbirds were absolutely innumerable, and five species enriched my collection.

An excursion to Kirdto took up several days without yielding any zoological results, although some ethnological objects were obtained. The first thunderstorm was recorded on December 6th; it was preceded by a strong 8.S.W. wind ; shortly before it broke over us the aneroid rose to 27.66 in.

The arrival of a party of Waganda, who brought me presents from King Mtésa and his prime minister, Katikiro, as well as letters from them, from the Arabs, and from the French and English missionaries residing in that country, was a very pleasant diversion. As a funny incident, I may mention that,