gh the country, though he acknowledged that lions and panthers
were in some places justly dreaded; "But then," he observed, "we can the
more easily defend ourselves against them. A well-aimed bullet will
settle the fiercest lion we have to encounter."

We had good sport, and shot several varieties of birds. Among them was
a partridge, of a grey colour; and David said that they were its loud
calls we had heard in the forest the evening before, summoning its mate.
He had observed them sleeping side by side on a branch of a tree where
they have their home, and the bird which was first there did not cease
calling till its mate arrived. We also shot several parrots, of a
species known as the African damask parrot. They are pretty birds, and
their habits are very interesting. Had we not positively required them
for food, I should have been unwilling to kill them. We had seen
numbers flying towards a stream which ran into the river we had passed
on the previous evening. They there assembled, making a great deal of
noise, and huddled and rolled over each other, frolicking together, and
dipping their feet into the water, so as to sprinkle it over the whole
of their bodies. Having enjoyed an ample bath and amused themselves for
a time, they flew off to the forest whence they came. There we saw them
sitting on the branches, cleaning their feathers. The operation over,
they flew off in pairs, each pair seeking its own nest or
roosting-place, separate from the others. David said that this species
is noted for conjugal affection, for they never separate till one or the
other dies, and the survivor then pines to death for its mate. The boys
were very anxious to catch one alive for Bella, but we could not succeed
in so doing. Coming near a dead tree, we saw several hollows, evidently
formed by art. Leo climbed up to one of them, and putting in his hand,
drew out a beautiful little bird, with a throat and breast of a glossy
blue-black, having a scarlet head and a line of canary-yellow running
from above the eyes along the neck. The back also, which was black, was
covered with yellow spots. Here David brought his knowledge to bear;
and said, from its habits, he should call it the carpenter bird. When
the birds pair, they fix on a tree, the wood of which has been
sufficiently softened by age to enable them to work upon it with their
bills. They then take out a circular opening, about two inches in
diameter and about two d