AFRICAN BRIDGES. 367 tants of Kakudk are very numerous, and live in scattered zertbas encircled by thorn hedges. ‘The huts remind one of those of the Bari, on account of their low walls and small doors. Inside each zertba tobacco is cultivated, and two species of Phaseolus overgrow the thorn hedges. The women, who are patterns of ugliness, were just employed in beating eleusine on large flat pieces of rock, which lay scattered about, and heaps of Hyptis were drying in the sun, giving out an aromatic odour. I took a stroll through the eleusine fields to observe the habits of numerous dwarf parrots (Agapornis pullaria). I shall always remember this walk, for on a stalk I noticed a small bird chmbing, which appeared quite strange to me. I soon caught it—the first Crethia from north-east . Africa, which neither Riippell nor Heuglin mention. A young specimen of the rare M/yrmecocichla nigra was also captured, and the pools afforded a new 7Zriton, besides which a number of very small frogs with very strong voices attracted my notice.

An almost absolutely straight road—an avis rarissima in this country—led from the picturesque rocks of Langdmeri to the Yei valley. Its soil was a very moist alluvial clay, mixed with much yellow sand. ‘The woods were very light indeed, but on the sides of the road were numerous sharp cutting sedges. At the ford, the Yei was about twenty-five feet broad and thirteen feet deep, so that the people had here improvised a bridge, but I am still not quite clear how the porters, with loads upon their heads, crossed it. We all preferred a very unpleasant cold swim, and soon a numberof brown and black figures were splashing in the river, bidding defiance to the numerous crocodiles. Shortly afterwards we had to cross another stream, which was thirteen feet broad and over six deep. ‘The bridge here was so respectable that we all crawled over it, in order not to hurt the feelings of its architect. The station of Vatako, which is situated upon an ascent, is a wretched, unsavoury village. We had to remain there two days, almost as prisoners, for the great feast (/d-el-Kebir) prevented our marching, and the continuous rain did not allow us to leave the miserable huts. The natives brought to me whole families of the Golwnda pulchella, a beautiful and