1•

- ----~---

E

E

OF H'

FOR THE

•

D

CE: THR E HILL S

U A D P 07£CTOI

Year e1 ded 31 sf ecember 1948

LIST OF CONTENTS: ...

Section I.-AdministrationPage

Financial-Expenditure and Revenue - 1-2

Il1ega! Killing of Game and Breaches of Game Laws 2-3Legislation Affecting Game 3-4Game Reserves and Sanctuaries 4-5Game Trophie" including Table ofWeights of "Licence" Ivory 5

Section II.-Elephant Control

...

General Remarks ...'Return of Elephants DestroyedTable of Control Ivory, based on tusk weight, and notesTable of Found Ivory from Control areas, and notesNotes on Game Rangers and Game GuardsDistrict C,mtrol ...

General Notes:--European Killed by ElephantCapture of Juvenile ElephantsBiological ResearchRecoveries of Illegally-possessed IvoryAnthrax from Elephant TusksPower of Rifles

•

666

77

8-12

12

12

12

12

12-13'3-' 4

Section III.-Notes on the Faqna

:-;

..

~. .- ...

•

..-~ ..·0

'4-' 5'5-,616-21

21.-.21

.... _~-<l2 •.. 22-.'1

27-28

28-29

....

Section IV.-General

DISEASES OF GAME:­

RinderpestRinderpest ConferenceOther DiseasesTsetse-Control in Connection with Game

ECONOMIC INDUSTRIES:-

Crocodile SkinsGlImeSkins ...

MAMMALS:­

(i) Primates(ii) Carnivora

(iii) Ungulates(iv) Tubulidentata(v) Nomarthra

(vi) RodentiaBIRDS

Tables of Recoveries of Birds Ringed in Europe and notesREPTILES

(B)

(A)

(A)

,

';I(1l).",. .

(C)

,-.,

lJ

(C) ~OTES OJ' GEKEItAL INT.ERuiT:

,1urchison Falls Trip ...Honorary Game Rangers;ame Conferencecientific and Filming Expeditionsol1ecting Wild Animals fur Zous

Recalcitrant Bullaml' ,iV'arden's Tours

J m:rC<llicU em' L~Section V.-Fisheries

(A) .'\U:'I11:--1STRATlOX:

(I) General '"(2) Legislation(3) :'\ets(4) Imports and Exports of Dried Fish

(B) ECONOMIC:-

(I) Lake Victoria(2) Lake Albert (including the Albert Nile)(3) Lake Edward and A~~sociatcd Fisheries(+) Report by the rish Culturi8t(5) Lake Kyoga6) Minor Lakes and 1"he Victoria Nile

(7) D~(8) Introductions(9) Fish Transfer

(10) Crocodiles:­(i) Cootror

(ii) Industry(iii) GLocral

(1 I) General ~otes

(C) AXCLlxc:­'Trout~ile PerchBarbelTilapia variabilis

tatistical TablesJ. Lake Yictoria-,Vcstern "lenger-Five Ineb :\"ets

11. Lake VictOria-Eastern Mengo (including Kome Island)Flve Inch Ncts .',

HI. Lake Victoril1.-Mas<ika District (includin,e: Sese IslanFive Tnch~ets ...

TV. Lakc Victoria-Jinja five Inch -"lets ,',Y. Lake Victoria-Small Mesh Kets-Various Landing~

VI. Lake Victoria Seine ~cts-Entebhe.Mcngo and MasakaDisll;ets

VIT. Lake Victori?-Drieu Fish-Various LanJing's

'TAFF LlST-Al'rI:1"''DlX 1.

Page

"1-32

v2

32

32

32

32-333333

333334

34-35

35-4°40-42

42-464?-5 2

53-5454-59S~64

644

64°5S6

67-70

i I

71

7 1

7 I

2

72

72

72

73

7373

74-

1'1 IE GAME on

ANNUALFor the Year ended 3

SECTION I.-AD!'

Expenditure aJ

J. Figures arc as follow:­Expenditure

Revenue (gross)Balance of Reyenue oyer EXF

The revenue \\'a~ derived a~ follow

(0) Sale uf ivory, rhinoceros horn

(b) Game licences

Receipts from (a) show an increase of ~

of 5 per cent.; in the case of (a) £18,97

2. f\t the t\yO ivory auctions, hrealised per lb. \vas 5hs, 1(1/05 and S),md Sbs. 11/88 in lCJ47: an increast: ianu 24 per cent.

3·

Rc~idcnt'~ (Full)\'Isitor'~ (FullResident's (Fl)urteen­Visiwr':; (Fourteen-d:w)Resident's or "isitnr's '1'\\ I) l'IeplunlResilknt's or ";silOr\ Third ElephantHesident':; or ViSItor's Three Eleph,mts:-':otive's Two ElephantsN.ttlvc's Third ElephantN:1li\'l:'s Thr('c ElephantsSpecial for First ElephantSpeci,]l for Second ElephantSpecial for Third Elephant

peeial for On., 1ll,Kk RhinocerosRiro

4. With continued impl'OVemCIlwith an appreciable rise in ivory piderived from the sale of licences.taken out as compared with 608 in 19)

• I,

./ /

"

11

:Ions,0

V.-Fisheries

Page

31 -3 2

32

32

32

32

32-33333"

TIlE GAjV.m DEPART Er T

ANNUAL REPORTFor the Year ended 31st December, 1948

SECTION I.-ADMINISTRATION

Expenditure and Revenue

2. ,t the two iv ry auctions, held ,\t . omhasa, the average pricere::tlised per lb. was Shs. 16/05 and Sh!', t4175 compare with Shs. I3/32and Sh. 11/88 in 1947: an increase in prices re pcclively )f 20 per ell-t.an l 24 P r cent.

~, 153

j. Gam and ::Special Licences issued:-

r. Figures 8.re ,1$ follow:­

Expenditure

Rev .nne (crross)

He lance of Revenue over Exp nditnr '. ,.

The re ! 'nne waS derived a~ [ollows:-

(a) Sale of ivory, rhinoceros orns 'md hippo teeth 19,°38

(b) ame licences 5,983Receipts from (a) show an increase of 28 per cent., and from (b) an increaseof 5 per cent.; in the case of (a) l~r8,979 was derived from the :ale of ivory.

333334

34-35

35-4°40 -42

42-4646-52

53-5454-59-9-64

6464

bert. ile)ed Fi heriei -t

lrl:L J ile

rieo. Fish

\'arirlllS T.anding.­rl'-ApPEi'DIX 1.

11 h. Tets .,.'ets-Various Landings

-Entehbe, Mengo and Masaka

ieal Tabl s19 Five Ill-cbngo (mcluding

:trict (mcluding

ts

lorne .Ian

ese 1 land')

7 1

7 1

7 1

71

72

72

72

72

73

7373

74

ResiJ(,nt's Full)1i,i1Or·.' ( ,till) ...

Resicknt': (Fuurtccn-dlJv)isit(Jr'~ (F'ourtccll-ua,,) ...

R sidl'nt's or isitor's ;'1 '\\'0 Elcph'lOtsR ·sident', or isi1Or's Third Elt:phantResident's Or Visitor's Thr'e Elt'phantsNat;",;', '[\"0 Elephants. ',nivc', Third .ElephantNative's Three Ekphants. P 'cial for .hrst ·,lepbanrSpecinl for 'ccond ElephantSpecial forThird FI phnntSpecial for One Black Rhinoccro'Bird

4. With co tinued impr vem nt in hwith al ppreciable ri e in ivory price', £derived fr m the sale of Licences. Licenc staken ut as compared \ 'ith 608 ill (947.

.>03 2735 rl'l2

2 +26 RH13 58 10

23 83If 357 22

InO100

f)6

3 4')3:- 932

ammunition ituation, and02 more revenue has beento nunc 526 lephant. were

Weight Gross price Approx. averagerealised price peT In.

•MAY- lbs. £ s. cts. Shs. cts.

Ivory '" ... 10.IS+! 8,150 17 00 ,6 05Rhino horns ... ... 3'! 27 18 23 ,8 00Hippo teeth '" UOf 5 15 73 0 96

NOVEMBER-Ivory LI·,680! 10,828 10 37 '4 75Rhino horns 19.t 23 15 U 25 00Hippo tceth ... ... I6t ° II 89 0 74

5. The total weight, 'old and prices realised at auction were asfollows:-

:,,

3

First elephantSecond elephantThird elephant

(b) anolishcs Native SpecialShs. 100 cheaper than the non-na'

(ii) Legal Noti~e No. 100, which,the Eighth Schedule to the Game 0,forms of the various Special Elephant.

(iii) Legal Notice No. 102, by virt1area, of small extent has- been excis'Reserve, and at the same time an area

(iv) Legal NQtice No. 142, whichLake Edward Game Re.erve, which p

(v) Legal Notice No. 143, by vielephant and buffalo are specially pa twenty miles stretch of water linknwhere these large species are abundan

.";r-"c~:,~i~~~~rf·~:~~;';:

'>.

;ij'.'i>"'

,~ 9. The ProtectOrate Police hm,~, possessed ivory. on a considerable scale: ~-, ,

rO. Poaching.-'Systematic poachiIiiThe poachers possess a number of 'W

in addition, their annament is now beinJ!made shot guns fashioned froin ! inch 01

.The results of the war years, when. astaff and an overworked Administrationpoachers and illegal alms, are still ajinterest and help of the Administrationlmprovmg.

One District Commissioner redoubtefforts after himself having fallen into a !

The ravages of poachers along thTanganyika border i. alarmingly appastronghold of eland, roan, watcrbuck, rbe found there now.

Throughout the Protectorate poach.possible means-shooting with legal an'nets, spears and bows and arrows. SI

game-pits. Slowly but surely these areand difficult task.

Legislati

I I. Legislation affecting game was ;(i) No. 3 of 1948, An Ordinanci

which-(a) varies Special Elephant lie'

e.g,:~

1,083!

Ibs.7,034f

3 1t8d-

24,9 101

25.9941

7,034i­18,959-t

18,959~87!187~

1,083!68•53

one ton more

Ibs.24,834t

75t

2

Balance at Mombasa on 31st December, 1948

Sold during '1948 ...Shrinkage or condemned

~~.' >.•~,

TOTAL

Illegal Killing oC Game and Breaches oC Game Laws7. Illegalities in connection with elephant hunting, the acquisition

of ivory, and the selling of game meat have again be~'llrevalent and arewidespread.

The high price of ivory is sufficient inducement for law breakingon an extensive scale, and as there are many who share in the' profits thenecessary evidence to bring cases to Court is- rarely forthcoming.

8. UnflJrtunately, owing to lack of adequate control due to theabsence of the necessary supervisory staff, game guards for many yearshave been able to reap a rich harvest by shooting elephants for Mricanlicence holders, retaining for licence holders the larger tusks obtainedin the coursl' of control operations, and selling for high prices ammunitionotherwise unobtainable by the public.

In 4nlwle two game guards were dismissed, having previously beengivena~e warning, for shooting antelopes and selling the IneaL

The total of 28,83+i lbs. of ivory sold is approximatelythan in [947, i.e. an increase of 9,per cent.

6. Ivory, etc.:-(a) Balance in store at Mombasa on 31st December, 19'4-7-

Ivory... ... ... .,. ...Rhino hornsHippo teeth .. . ..

(b) Received at Mombasabelween Ist]-anuary, 1948,and3IstUec., 1948--Ivory ... ... . ..Rhino hornsHippo teeth ... ... ., _ ...

(c) Balance in store at Mombasa on 31st December, 1948-Ivory.. '" ... ... . ..Rhino hornsHippo teeth

IvORY FIGURES-Balance at Mombasa on 31st December, 1947Received at Mombasa during 1948

•~'

2 3

~d prices realised at auction were as

'lory sold is approximately one ton more)eT cent.

reight Gross price Approx. averagerealised price per lb.

./hs. £ s. cls. Shs. cts.10,1 54! 8,150 17 00 ,6 °5

3't 27 .8 23 ,8 00no! 5 15 73 0 06

14,680' 10,828 10 37 '4 75'ot 23 IS 12 25 00. '6, 0 II 89 0 74

lecember, 1947-

uary, ]948, andJIst Dec:,' ~948-

iecember, 1948-

mber, 1947I

TO'rAI.

/bs.7,0341

3"8"

1,083!6853

25.9941

9. The Protectorate Police have recovered stocks of illegallypossessed ivory on a considerable scale: the existence of others is known.

10. Poaching.-Systematic poaching in Singo, Buganda, continues.The poachers PO€ses~ a number of unlicensed, modern firearms, and,in addition, their armament is now being augmented by sorviceable, locallymade shot guns fashioned from} inch or one inch piping.

.The results of the war years, when a sadly depleted Game Departmentstaff •.nd an overworked Administration tried to deal with meat-hungrypoachers and illegal alms, are still apparent, but with the increasinginterest and help of the Administration and Police, the situation is slowly. .lrnprovmg.

One District Commissioner redoubled his already keen anti-poachingefforts after himself having fallen into a game pit when on safari I

The ravages of poachers along the Kagera river on the Uganda­Tanganyika border is alarmingly apparent. This area was once thestronghold of eland, roan, waterbuck, reedbuck and topi but few are tobe found there now.

Throughout the Protectorate poachers have destroyed game by everypossible rrieans--shooting with legal and illegal arms, hunting with dogs,nets, spears and bows and arrows, snares, cart-wheel traps, gins andgame-pits. Slowly but surely these are being dealt with but it is a longand difficult task.

Legislation

11. Legislation affecting game was as follows:-

• (i) No. 3 of 1948, An Ordinance to Amend the Game Ordinance,which-

(a) varies Special Elephant licences and fixes the fees therefor,e.g.:-

lind Ilreaches of Game Lawswith eleprumt hunting, the acquisitionneat have again beeiJ"prevalent and are

:uflieient inducement for law breakingare many who share in the' profits tbe

, Court is rarely forthcoming.

lack of adequate control due to thelry staff, game guards for many yearsvest by shooting elephants for Mricannee holders the larger tusks obtainedand selling for high prices ammunition

je.re;,e dismissed, having previously been

.antelopes and selling the meat.

First elephant Shs. 100

Second elephant Shs. 200

Third elephant Shs. 300.

(b) abolishes Native Special Elephant licences which wereShs. 100 ch~aper than the non-native Special Elephant licences.(ii) Legal N~ti;e No. 100, which, consequent on (i) (a) above, varies

the Eighth Schedule to the Game Ordinance, in respect of the preciseforms of the various Special Elephant licences.

(iii) Legal Notice No. 102, by virtue of which a valuable agriculturalarea of small extent has been excised from the Lake George GameReserve, and at the £ame time an area of equal size added.

(iv) Legal Notice No. 142, which re-defines the boundaries of theLake Edward Game Reserve, which previously had not been clear.

(v) Legal Notice No. '43, by virtue of which the hippopotamus,eleprumt and buffalo are specially protected in the Kazinga Channel,a. twenty miles stretch of water linking Lakes Edward and Geo~ andwhere these large species are abundant. .c.;~· :..

..

..

Mengo ...

"'1... 3 45 4'

Mubende ... ... 22 7Masaka ... '4 3Ankole ... w 23 20Toro ... 19 51 48Kigezi ... 4 8Bunyaro .. , 6 12 35West Nile I 9 22 17Madi ... ... 3Acholi ... , 12 "4 40Mbal. ... 4 2 3Karamoja ... 2 ...

,~ . Lango ... ... 5Bwoga .. - ... 2 8 n

---------TOTAL ... 2 65 209 242

OveIiOver20 30

Ibs. Ibs.

underlover10 10

Ibs. Ibs.District

•

Game '1'.'9. Return of tusks from e1epln1n

,

20. This represents 442 elepluyear (382). One tusk exeteding nilThe heaviest pair totalled ,80 lbs. Tl.and under 60 lbs.; 38 of 60 lbs. an,of over 90 lbs. This leaves 268 with·that at the present rate of taking outa licence for tlnee eleflllants shou!itusks of 40 lb&, or r1vef:":'

2I. II5 leopard skins were ell!noteworthy that compensation pailthe proceeds of the sale of skim ac~

handed into Government, has resulwell as incteasing unduly the value 01for compensation purposes, is rated ai

:la.·· Other trophies exported i~colobus monkey skins and one blue. n!

23. 5 IbL of ivory curios valuevia Mpondwe Customs Post; andOver 33 tons) valued at £42,927 ,6sNo trophies entered via Memma H'

well stocked but the geese wpaddocks "eem to have moved a'

(ii) Vide paragraph II (vi)with the immediately surroundingyards has been proclaimed a Birdto an abundance of interesting wate

National Parks.-The practicabiliiparks in certain montane regions is unt

i',",

4

(vi) Legal Notice No. ,67, proclaiming the Bulamagi Dam in the.Busoga District of the Eastern Province, together with an area of landextending two hundred yards from the dam waters, to be a BirdSanctuary.

(vii) Legal Notice No. '70, which removes the seasonal proteetionhitherto afforded the guinea-fowl in the Lango District of the NorthernProvince, on the grounds that this bird is responsible for considerabledamage to crops.

(viii) No. '9 of '948, An Ordinance to Impose Export Duty on Hidesand Skins, which, inter alia, defines "game hide" I and exempts from itsprovisions any game hide certified by the Game Warden to be a genuinesportsman's trophy.

(ix) No. 22 of 1948, An Ordinance further to amend the GameOrdinance, to enable a licensing officer to exercise discretion in the grantof Special licences, such discretionary power alroady existing in thecase of Game licences.

Game Reserves and Sanctuaries'2. Bunyoro and Gulu.-There still appears to be plenty of wild

life, and in good .variety, in this reserve, at least in the vicinity of the RiverNile. Trapping on a considerable scale continues, and it is known thatsome elephant poaching also takes place. An abnormal amount of shootingin defence of visitors making the Murchison Falls trip is referred toelsewhere, vide paragraph 220.

'3. The construction of a road, just north of the Gulu Reserveboundary, from Anaka in Acholi, to opposite Pakwaeh, on the Albert Nile,may merit an' extension northerly of this boundary.

'4. Excursions by elephants and other crop raiders northerly intothe settled areas of East Madi from the extensive closed sleeping sicknessarea and elephant Ganctuary lying to the north of this reserve have occurredon a moderate scale, and the necessary remedial action has been taken.

'5. Toro (or Semliki).-The Game Ranger report' that poachingin this reserve has decreased since he has been able to make dry seasonvisits by lorry. He further reports that in some partt kob are abundant.

,6. Lake George.-The rem'ilks made in paragraph ,8 of the '947Annual Report are equally applicable in '948, and this reset've' is providingmore and more abundantly a wonderful spectacle of wild life at the roadside.

New and morc permanent notiee boards, which are a great improvement,have been erected conspicuously along the m1in roads which traversethe Lake George Game Reserve and the Katunguru-Kichwamba extremityof the Lake Edward Reserve.

'7. Ankole.-A big herd of eland, many buffaloes, quite a numberof zebra, waterbuck and topi, and the usm! variety of sm.ller antelopes,including oribi and klipspringer are to be found in this little reserve.Therear" also warthog, bushpig, monkeys and many baboons.

18. Bird Sanctuaries.-{}) The Entebbe Bird Sanctuary, which islocated at the western end of the peninsula beyond the air field, is fairly

4

, proclaiming the Bulamagi Dam in theProvince, together with an area of landfrom the dam waters, to be a Bird

which removes the seasonal protectionI in the Lango District of the Northern

this bird is responsible for considerable

Prdinance to Impose Export Duty on HidesJefines H game hide", and exempts from its!fied by the Game Warden to be a genuine

! Ordinance further to amend the Gametg officer to exercise discretion in the grantcretionary power already existing in the

rYes and Sanctuaries

!'here still appears to be plenty of wild~eserve, at least in the vicinity of the RiverhIe scale continues, and it is known that:s place. An abnormal amount of shootingthe Murchison. Falls trip is referred to

• road, just north of the Gulu Reserve, to opposite Pakwach, on the Albert Nile,, of this boundary.,(s and other crop raiders northerly intorom the extensive closed sleeping sickness~ to the north of this reserve have occurredessary remedial action has been taken.'he Game Ranger report> that poaching.ce he has been able to make dry seasonts that in some part!! kob are abundant.m""ks made in plli:agtllph r8 .of the r947:able in 1948, and this resdve is providinglOderful spectacle of wild life at the road

tice boards, which are a great improvement,ly along the m~in roads which traverse

d the Katunguru-Kichwamba extremity

eland, many buffaloes, quite a numberthe usml variety of smaller antelopes,I' to be found in this little reserve.

eys and many baboons.Entebbe Bird Sanctuary, which is

_lUI'\S'ula beyond the air field, is fair! y

5

well stocked but the geese which used to be a feature of the Veterinarypaddocks "eem to have moved away.

(ii) Vide paragraph II (vi) the Bulamagi Dam in Busoga, togetherwith the immediately surrounding land strip to a depth of two hundredyards has been proclaimed a Bird Sanctuary, in order to afford protectionto an abundance of interesting waterfowl.

National Parks.-The practicability of the establishment or nationalparks in certain montane regions is under examination.

Game Trophies

19. Return of tusks from elephants shot by licence-holders:-

Under Over Over Over Over Over Over Over Over Over TotalDistrict <0 <0 ZO 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 tusks

lbs. lhs. lhs. lhs. lhs. lhs. Ihs. lbs. Ihs. lbs.-------~-- --- ----- - - --------------

Mengo ... 3 4S 41 13 5 ... ...

I107

Mubende ." ... ... zz 7 9 4 , Z , ... 46Masaka ... ... ... 14 3 3 ... .. , '" ... ... zoAnkole ... ... ... <0 z3 zo 7 8 , ,, ... ... 70Toro ... ... ... '9 51 48 35 I9 4 ... ... ... 176Kigezi ... ... 4 8 '0 4 4 3 ... ... 33Bunyoro ... ... 6 IZ 35 z6 zo 5 4 I , 1I0West Nile .. , I 9 zz 17 16 I6 7 z, ... ... 90Madi ... ... ... ... ... 3 15 Z 3 , ... z4Acholi ... ... 1 IZ z4 40 zz '5 IZ 5 6 ... '37Mbale ... ... 4 Z 3 , ... ... ... . .. '0Karamoja ... ... Z ... , 5 ... ... ... 8Lango ... ... 5 I '" ... ... 6Busoga ... ... ... Z 8 IZ 4 7 5 Z ... 40

-------- -- --- --- -- --- ----

ITOTAL ... Z 65 ZZ9 z4z I63 105 4z zo 8 , 877•

20. This repreE"ents 442 elephants, a 15 per cent. increase on lastyear (382). One tusk exceeding ninety pounds in weight was obtained.The heaviest pair totalled 180 Ibs. There are '35 bulls with tusks of 40 Ibs.and under 60 lbs.; 38 of 60 lbs. and under 90 Ibs.; and one with a tuskof over 90 Ibs. This leaves 268 with tusks of less than 40 Ibs. and indicatesthat at the present rate of taking out elephant licences, the sportsman witha licence for three elephants should make celtain of bagging one withtusks of 40 lb•. or over.

2 I. I 15 leopard skins were exported, which is not excessive. It isnoteworthy that compensation paid for losses to small livestock fromthe proceeds of the sale of skim acquired in the defence of property andhanded into Government, has resulted in many exaggerated claims, aswell as incIe;.:l.sing unduly the value of the victims. Even the "shenzi" dog,for compensation purposes, is rated at pedigree prices!

~2.•. Other trophies exported included eleven ostrich eggs, fourteencolobus monkey skins and one blue monkey skin.

23. 5 IbL of ivory curios valued at £5 18s. 50cts. entered in transitvia Mpondwe Customs Post; and 2,538 tusks totalling 74,769 lbs. (justover 33 tons) valued at £42,927 16s. from the Belgian Congo via Butiaba.No trophies entered via MeIama Hill, Vucca and Kisoro Posts.

.

~... ....---... ~ !!III '"'~. ~...~- .,

,

6 7

30. Found ivory from Control areas.,

26 4° I ,82 28 4

I5

7 6

" 4 23 4 3

22 <0

Under lOver lOver I 4101bs. 101bs. 20 lbs.' 3

29 I 5

7 3 I 2

"'1 4 ,6 3 1---~--~--'-... 119 I 9+ I 33

District

TOTAL

MengoMubende ...AnkoleToroKigeziMasindiWest Nile.MadiAcholiDusoga

31. There was no found ivory frOlfound tusks-26o, is remarkable when l

1947. Having made allowance for the uNile and West Madi, it still appears thaconsiderable illegalities in connection wiltusks.

32. Elephant control continues tolack of the rtC\l8!lsary supervisory staff thslightly~ the arrival in July of an addi

33...· e-.••n R. J. D. Salmon, M.the pension ijst at the end of July afteelephant killj/l.g he. was not only outstanvery definiteljr a sixth sense, an elephalanticipate what an el~phant or elephanllthousands t#. e-!"ph.ants, and his indivi~

killed in tlii-ee days (vide~phs 371c, and skillu~d in the 3~S of elepbj

34. Captain L. T., Gunn's appoterminated in February. '

35. One does not wish unnecessarigame guards (vide paragraph 29, '946;paragraph 8 ibid.) '."hi<;/\:.~e bcen pre

· to say that bad beha,vi.oyti4te to lack oj· One Mrican game ~d of long service~lephant hunter ras .~etected and convict

·'f IVOry over a long pe~IOd.

One skilled, long Service game guard36. The Asian Ranger who was

rednction campaign in West Nile and ,ti months of 1947, continued his operation

July, when, being no longer required, I37. It can justly be claimed that"

· elephant situation is well under control.. 29. These tusks include one in excess of 60 lbs., 4 over 50 lbs.,

32 over 40 lbs., and 64 over 30 lbs.

SECTION IL-ELEPHANT CONTROL

24. There is little change in the elephant situation, though freedomfrom elephant damage cannot be said to have reduced in any way thenumber of complaints. nor the numerous and insistent appeals forassistance!

25. The estimated total elephant wastage for 1948 is approximately1,700, a considerable increase on last year. This figure includes allowancefor deaths from natural causes, and from poaching.

26. The number of elephant. killed by the Game Departmen t sl alfin the course of organised control activities during 1948, is as under:-

District Under Over Over O ....-er Over Over Over Totallolbs. 101bs. 201bs. 30tbs, 401bs. 50 Ibs. 7olbs.

--- --- ------------ ----Mengo ... 95 80 '4 " 4 .. ... 2°4Mubende ... ... 3' ,6 '0 6 4 2 ... 78Masaka .. . .. 20 , 5 , , , '-... I ., . ... 38Ankole ... ... '5 22 4 2 -~ ;~. ... 43Toro 285 <29 53 9

.5 , 482... ...

Kigczi ... ... 25 2 6 .. . 2 ... ... 35Hoima ... '5 23 2 2 ... ... .. . 42Masindi ... 69 48 20 25 9 ... ... '7'West Nile ... ... 243 '30 39 , .. ... 4'3Madi ... ... ,87 '°7 '9 4 2 ... ... 3'9Acholi ... ... " 28 6 2 3 2 ... 52Lango ... ... 4 4 , , ... ... ... ,0Busoga ... ... 4 6 4 ... ... ... ... '4Mbale ... '" .. ' 2 2 ... ... 4

._-- ---._-- ---- --------------TOTAL ... 1,004 6<0 J '90 64 32 I 4 , 1,9°5

27. The average weight per control tusk is II' 6 lbs., which is a bigdrop on past eight years' average ofl3 lbs. It is probably due to the largenumber of small elephants which were killed in the I'Qurse of the reductioncampaign in We,t Nile and West Madi.

28. The fOllowing figures represent the number Gf tusks of belowand over 10 lbs.. weight obtained in the course of control operations.:-

District r\o. of Male Female Tusks Single TotalElephants tuskers weight

-------- -------- ----- ------------ ._---lbs.

Mengo ... >03 '03 ... 2°4 2 2,+5 II\lubcndc ... 4° 36 4 78 2 1,329Masaka 20 '3 7 38 2 45°!Ankole .. 22 20 2 43 , 530~Toro ... ... 248 '77 7' 482 '4 S,003}Kigezi ... ... ,8 ,8 .., 35 , 382Hoima ... ... 2< 2< 42 ... 538,Masindi ... 86 86 '7' , 2,812West Nile .. a08 47 ,6, 4'3 3 4,052Madi .. ,62 74 88 3 19 5 3,1'08Acholi ... 28 ,8 <0 52 4 983Lango ... ... S 5 <0 .. '33Busoga ... 7 2 5 '4 ... 203tMbale ... 2 2 ... 4 .. '22

t .-TOTAL 970 622 348 I,9OS 35 22,098!

•

6

HANT CONTROL

the elephant situation, though freedom"said to have reduced in any way the

e numerous and insistent appeals for

phant wastage for 1948 is approximatelylast year. This figure includes allowanced from poaching.t8 killed by the Game Department s,aff

, activities during 1948, is as under:-!, Female Tusks Single Total! tuskers weight

---- -----lbs.

... 2°4 2 2.45 14 78 2 J ,3297 38 2 450 l2 43 I 53°!

71 482 '4 5,0°3'1... 35 I 382... 42 ... 53 8l... '7' , 2,812

161 4'3 3 4,05 2.88 3 19 5 3,10810 52 4 983... 10 ... '335 14 ... z03!

'" 4 '22

348,

22,O98!- 1,905 35

r control tusk is II' 6 Ibs., which is a bia. . aof 13 lbs. It is probably due to the largewere killed in the ~Qurse of the reductionMadi.

represent the number of tusks of belowin the COUIse 9f control operations:-

Over Over Over Over Over Total2otbs. 301bs. 4olbs. SO Ills. 7olbs.---._----------._---

14 " 4 .. , ... 2°419 6 4 2 ... 78

I I .>' I ... ... 384 2 ... ... ... 43

53 9.

5 I 482...6 ... 2 ... ... 352 2 .... ... ... 42

20 25 9 ... ... '7 139 I ... ... ... 41319 4 2 '" ... 3 196 2 3 2 ... 52I I ... ... ... 104 ... ... ... ... '42 ... 2 ... ... 4-----------------

'9° 64 32 4 , 1,905

Ie m excess of 60 lbs., 4 over 50 lbs.,~.

7

30. Found ivory from Control areas:-

District Under Over Over Over Over Over No. of Totallotbs. lolbs. 201bs. 301bs . 4olbs . 50 Ibs. tusks weight

---------------------lbs.

Mengo ... .. , 26 4° 18 4 3 9 1 1,461Mubende ... ... 2 2 ... '" ... ... 4 SOtAnkole ... ... 8 4 5 I ... ... 18 2491Toro ... ... 7 6 ... 2 ... . .. 15 '48Kigezi ... ... " 4 2 2 ... 19 228;Masindi ... ... 3 4 3 ... ... 10 122West Nile ... ... 22 10 ... ... ... ... 32 277Madi ... ... 29 5 ... . .. ... ... 34 173Acholi ... .. , 7 3 2 ... ... 12 127Busoga ... ... 4 ,6 3 ... 2 25 420i

--------- ---------- ------TOTAL ... 119 94 33 9 .I ... 260 3.257.

3I. There was no found ivory from uncontrolled areas. The totalfound tusks-260, is remarkable when compared with only 98 found in1947. Having made allowance for the unusually heavy shooting in WestNile and West Madi, it still appears that last year thew must have beenconsiderable illegalities in connection with the misappropriation of foundtusks.

32. Elephant control continues to be seriously hampered by thelack of the ne~.sary supervisory staff though the situation has improvedslightly wfth the arrival in July of an additional European Game Ranger.

.~ , .

33". ClIt>~ R. J. D. Salmon, M.V.O., M.C., was transferred tothe pension Ust at the end of July after twenty-five years' service. Atelep~nt killi/o.g he· was not only outstanding, but unique. He possessedvery definitelJ a sixth sense, an elephant sense, which enabled him toanticipate what an elephant or elephants would do. His bag runs intothousands f.. elephantS, and his individual performance of 70 elephantskilled in three days (vide paragraphs 37-38, 1934) is a feat of enduranceand skill unn.valled in the aIlI¥lis of elephant hunting.

34. Captaill L. T. Gunn's appointment as Game Ranger wasterminated in February. .

35. One does not wish unnecessarily to repeat the shortcomings ofgame guards (vide paragraph 29, 1946; paragraphs 8 and 34, 1947; andparagraph 8 ibid.) whic4 .llIve been previously recorded. Let it sufficeto say that bad be~vi.olli .dJ,e to lack of control is not easily eradicated.One Mrican game gual'd of long service who was an exceptionally skilfulelephant hunter was detected and convicted of offences in connection withivory over a loniperiod.

One skilled, long '"ervice game guard retired at the end of the year.36. The Asian Ranger who was engaged on a .pecial elephant

reduction campaign in West Nile and West Madi during the last threemonths of 1947, continued his operations very successfully until the endof July, when, being no longer required, his services terminated.

37. It can justly be claimed that throughout the protector<\te theelephant situation is well under control.

'.

L.

!

..' .., \.-

"

8

Bugaoda38. Mengo.-Elephants have not beee particularly active during

the year, damage to cultivation has beeo inextensive, and raiding herdsin the usually aifected outlying parts of the District have decreased.Control has been effective, and 62 elephants were killed by the gameguards. The total known elephant wastage for the year, including elephantskilled by licence-holders and found ivory, is 72 in contrast to 90 in '947.

This does oot take into account losses due to poaching which areparticularly heavy in Singo.

39. Mubende.-Elephants are still very plentiful; control has beeneffective and 74 elepbants were killed by the guards.

Ivory poaching in this District is also prevalent.40. Masaka.-Reports received indicate that the maximum number

of elephants likely to be found in this District at anyone time totals 500,distributed as under:-

Mutuba IV, Buddu ... ... 250Katonga .. . . .. .., '50Koki and Mawogola ... ... 100

In the Bljddu area the elephants in about eight herds varying instrength from 30 to 60 animals each are resident and frequent \,he Tero,'Namaliga and Malabigambo forests: there are a few good tuskers.

41. It is now a number of years since elephants were resident in theKatonga region, though from time to time considerable numbers appearhaving apparently been hunted out of the Toro and Mubende Districts.May seems to be the normal month for these incursions, though elephantsmay appear here at any time in the year. They rarely remain in theDistrict longer than a month, and there are not usually more than twoherds which vary from 20 to 100 animals.

42. Into the remainder of the western part of the District elephantsinfiltrate at' various times from two main directions, e.g. across the Kagerainto Koki from the forested area around Bushenya, in Tanganyika; andinto Kabula and southern Mawogola from Ankole.

43. 22 elephants were killed in the course of control operations.

Western Province44. Bunyoro.-The high light of this year in Bu1lyoro has been the

remarkable freedom from damage by elephants. In the Budongo Forestthe number of elephants killed has not been great, totalling 36; in Kibandawhich is normally the worst affected area 66 were destroyed. In Bugahyacounty from where the game guard was withdrawn in August, subsequentlyuntil the end of the year only one report of elephant damage was received.The total killed in Bunyoro was '39.

45. The typ~ of frivolous complaint which is often received is wellillustrated by a report from one Gombolola that all the game guardstationed there did was to marry and take away new wives, and that henever did any hunting, which was indeed strange as the week before he hadshot four elephants within two miles of Gombolola headquarters!

~' ...

46. One of the most experienllRanger took the spine shot at an eleherd. He made a bad shot, the bullemoved about 50 yards and stopped, "It waS found that the guard's origelephant, the bullet emerging at the'

47. TOTo.-Effective control isnature of settlement resulting in outlto marauding elephants. In the shorlthe inhabitants are able without otherwhich enter those areas. Most ofBwarnba, Bunyangabu, Busongora an·The only place where serious danfoothills near Bugoye where somecompletely.

48. The banana shambas in th.menace in the spread of sleeping Sl(locality later in the year in a gameprotection.

49. Ankole.-Most of the e1epother areas below the eastern scarpa large breeding herd of over one htwo herds of approximately forty e:to the TangaD¥ika-Koki border. 31of control operations, in the countThe largest pair of tusks obtained orcame from east of the Chambura rive

50. Mr. M. N. Sayer, a EurGoldfields, was killed by a cowellparagraph 70).

51. The Kichwamba Fisherieiwas done to ctops in the BunyaragUlwhich he investigated at the req~instances elephants which had comefrightened away and it was only fe

• iImongst the cultivation. Of these tilmatama plots and had stayed on ~

discharge from glands near the tern?through several miles of banana p~

to reach a small patch of matarnagrass. From tltis cover it repeatedlyelephant was contacted just as it ~the safety of a nearby ridge the lodstones. j

The elephant did not seem tlcharged towards where a stone fell.!way towards the matama. The. o~circumstances after it had retired .

8

Bugandave not beec particularly active duringhas been inextensive, and raiding herds

g parts of the District have decreased.d 62 elephants were killed by the game

t wastage for the year, including elephants~d ivory, is 72 in contrast to 90 in '947.!account losses due to poaching which are

r are still very plentiful; control has beenIkilled by the guards.~ct is also prevalent.lceived indicate that the maximum numberl in this District at anyone time totals 500,

lluddu '" 250'50

LWogola ... 100

elephants in about eight herds varying inIs each are resident and frequent the Tero,rests: there are a tew good tuskers.~f years since elephants were resident in thetime to time considerable numbers appear

d out of the Toro and Mtibende Districts."onth for these incursions, though elephants

in the year. They rarely remain in theand there are not usually more than two

"' animals.f the western part of the District elephantsl two main directions, e.g. across the KageraLIea around Bushenya, in Tanganyika; androgola from Ankole.led in the course of control operations.

'stem Province

light of this year in Buftyoro has been thetage by elephants. In the Budongo Foresthas not been great, totalling 36; in Kibandafeeled area 66 were destroyed. In Bugahyalard was withdrawn in August, subsequently)ne report of elephant damage was received.• '39·• complaint which is often received is wellone Gombolola that all the game guard

rry and take away new wives, and that he~indeed strange as the week before he had, • ell of Gombolola headquarters!

9

46. One of the most experienced guards when out with the Game'. Ranger took the spine shot at an elephant which was one of a departing

herd. He made a bad shot, the bullet entering the buttock. The elephantmoved about 50 yards and stopped, when it was killed with the brain shot.It was found that the guard's original shot had completely raked theelephant, the bullet emerging at the shoulder.

47. TOTo.-Effective control is not made easier by the scatterednature of settlement resulting in outlying shambas becoming an easy preyto marauding elephants. In the ,hort grass country of Mwenge and Kyakathe inhabitants are able without other assistance to drive away the elephantswhich enter those areas. Most of the protection afforded has been inBwarnba, Bunyangabu, Busongora and the Muzizi river region in Mwenge.The only place where serious damage occurred was in the Ruwenzorifoothills near Bugoye where some banana plantations were de3troyedcompletely.

48. The banana shambas in the Lake Katwe basin became a seriousmenace in the spread of sleeping sickness, and with the inclusion of thislocality later in the year in a game reserve it was decided to withdrawprotection. )

49. Ankole.-Most of the elephants keep to the game reserve andother areas below the eastern scarp of the western ri,ft, though there isa large breeding herd of over one hundred in the Katonga region. Also,two herds of approximately forty elephants each frequent Isingiro closeto the Tangarwika-Koki border. 38 elephants were killed in the courseof control operations, in the counties of Igara, Isingiro and Buhwezu.The largest pair of tusks obtained on licence were 56 lbs. and 54 lbs., andc!me from east of the Chambura river.

50. Mr. M. N. Sayer, a European employed by the ConsolidatedGoldfields, was killed by a cow elephant not far from Kichwamba (seeparagraph 70).

51. The Kichwamba Fisheries Officer reports that some damagewas done to clops in the Bunyaraguru area bordering on th~ gam~ res.ervewhich he investigated at the request of the Administration. In twoinstances elephants which had come close to the shnlbas were successfullyfrightened away and it was only found necessary to shoot three raiders

• amongst the cultivation. Of these three, two were bulls which had raidedmatama plots anI! had stayed on in nearby thickets, Both had an oilydischarge from glands near the temple. Ono of these elephants had walkedthrough several miles of banana plantations (without doing any damage)to reach a small patch of matama bordered by thick bush and elephantgrass. From this cover it repeatedly raided the plot in broad daylight. Theelephant was contacted just as it was going back to the thick bush. Fromthe safety of a nearby ridge the local population shouted abuse and threwstones.

The elephant did not seem to mind the shouting but occasionallycharged towards where a stone fell. It was shot as it once again made itsway towards the matama. The other one was shot in somewhat similarcircumstances after it had retired into a small crater containing a pate'"

0'

~--~-~~,~---_....._..""",'_..........-

." V, J W. "'''''-'i' "~·l

10 .,

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it

.,.

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of thick forest after raiding crops the night before. The cow elephant wasone of five which had for nearly a week raided matama at night andreturned to join a large berd in the reserve before daylight. This lotremained longer than usual one morning and the shooting of one wassufficient to keep the others away.

S~. A strange happening was when an elephant killed itself byf~itltoa buffalo pit.

'~. Kigezi.-Control measures have been confined almost exclusivelyto the resettlement areas where the four game guards have done mostvaluable work in keeping the settled areas clear of dangerous and destructive,game.

" 54. On occasions it has been necessary to detail a guard to deal withthe herd of forest elephants in Bufundi Gombolola, which are becomingtnore and more destructive as cultivation extends into what for years hasbeen its normal habitat.

55. Movements of elephants from the neighbouring Parc NationalAlbert into the northern, inhabited parts of Kinkizi have been fewer thanusual.

In all 18 elephants have be~n killed.There are still big tuskers in the game reserve below the escarpment.

•Northern Province

56. Acholi.-Elephant control has again been effective, and theamount of damage done by shamba raiders has continued to decrease.The demands for game guards, however, have been numerous, but thecraving for meat by the Acholi frequently leads them to imagine damagedone to their crops and to support these claims by graphic descriptionsof depredations which in fact have never occurred.

.There is little doubt that nowadays in all Districts a game guard isno longer regarded as a cultivation protector but from the point of viewof a meat provider.

57. The new Anaka-Pakwach road, which traverses the elephantsanctuary, has provided many close-up views of these great beasts,including some fine tuskers, which have been reluctant to move away fromthe road. Many of them are evidently elephants which never leave thesanctuary as they are not gun shy.

A game guard sent to this locality to deal with the situation successfullymoved the elephants without inflicting a single casualty.

The porters working on this road have a wholesome respect for thesecreatures which have provided them with a much appreciated and genuineexcuse for temporary stoppages of work. . '

58. 64 elephants were shot in the course of control operations.Licence tusks have averaged about 35 lbs., the biggest pair weighing84 lbs. and 85t lbs.

59. Lango.-Five elephants only were killed by the game guards.60. Madi.-Vide paragraph 36 Mr. A. H. Shah Karam was engaged

on elephant control in Madi. During the three months February to April

his activities resulted in 179 elephaJ!Obongi-Nyawa-Sudan border in W.successful campaign eonsiderable daJby elephants, particularly in the cottcsited away from habitation.

61. 3,557 lbs. of Government icourse of the year.

62. West Nile.-207 elephants wof Mr. A. H. Shalr Karam, and the i,Notwithstanding the abundance of thdamage in West Nile and West Madi i

63. Karamoja.-Tbere have bee'where nowadays the elephants, torestricted to the north and north-westin this District.

64. Napak mmmtain was twiceLabwor-in September, and again inelephants paid this neighbourhood ahowever, was but a few days.

Eastern I

65. Busoga.-There are two orthe Gombolola of Kagoma, about 15 I

a popular one with licence-holders,along game tracks. Hunting there i,and elephant grass whieh fringe the N

66. In the sleeping sickness aiVictoria, game generally is on the inelephants which seldom leave the dO!raid into the Saza of Bukoli. Several J

to be in this region.67. 17 elephants were killed by68. Mbale.-There appear to t

as residents or frequent visitors:-(a) In the Gombolola Bukwa, 1

frequent the high forest, but occasil(b) In the bigh forest east of I

probably range well into Kenya. !

shot by the game guard in the Bubl(c) In the Busitema sleeping sl

Jinja road. In November, about ~the confluence of the Kami and M~

,(d) In the Lulonda sleeping si~of Mjanji on the Lake shore. This;is resident in Busoga. j

It is difficult to attempt any relilin this District as the herds are nlinaccessible cmmtry. '

10 11

from the neighbouring Pare National. parts of Kinkizi have been fewer than

•

•.-._.

Eastern Province

65. Busoga.-There are two or three large herds of elephants inthe Gombolola of Kagoma, about 15 miles from Jinja. A visit to this area,a popular one with licence-holders, entails a walk of some eight milesalong game tracks. Hunting there is difficult owing to the dense forestan" elephant grass which fringe the Nile.

66. In the sleeping sickness area, on the northern shore of LakeVictoria, game generally is on the increase, and includes several herds ofelephants which seldom leave the closed area except to make an occasionalraid into the Saza of Bukoli. Several 40 lb•. to 50 lbs. tuskers are reportedto be in this region.

67. '7 elephants were killed by the game guards.68. Mbale.-There appear to be four herds in this District either

as residents or frequent visitors:~

(a) In the Gombolola Bukwa, Sebei, where these animal. normallyfrequent the high forest, but occasionally descend into the plains.

(b) In the high forest east of Bulucheke in South Bugishu, whichprobably range well into Kenya. Two elephants from this herd wereshot by the game guard in the Bubulu-Butiru area.

(e) In the Busitema sleeping sickness reserve, north of the Busia­Jinja road. In November, about 20 elephants were reported to be nearthe confluence of the Kami and Manafwa rivers.

(d) In the Lulonda sleeping sickness area around Lunyo and westof Mjanji On the Lake shore. This herd is numerous, but the main herdis resident in Busoga.

It is difficult to attempt any reliable estimate of the elephant strengthin this District as the herds are mainly based on almost or completelyinaccessible country.

his actlvltle. resulted in '79 elephant. being killed, mainly in the areaObongi-Nyawa-Sudan border in West Madi. In spite of this verysuccessful campaign considerable damage is. still caused to plantationsby elephants, particularly in the cotton "block" shambas which are oftensited away from habitation.

61. 3,557 lbs. of Government ivory were sent to Mombasa in thecourse of the year.

62. West Nile.-207 elephants were shot, mainly under the directionof Mr. A. H. Shah Karam, and the ivory found of a further 16 elephants.Notwithstanding the abundance of these great, voracious beasts elephantdamage in West Nile and West Madi is relatively slight.

63. Karamoja.-There have been no control operations in Karamojawhere nowadays the elephants, totalling about three hundred, aterestricted to the north and north-west. Three licence elephants were shotin this District.

64. Napak mountain was twice visited by a party of elephants fromLabwor-in September, and again in December. It is· many years sinceelephants paid this neighbourhood a visit. The duration of their stay,however, was but a few days.

..---

elephant killed itself by

killed by the game guards.,A. H. Shah Karam was engaged. three months February to April

have been confined almost exclusivelyfour game guards have done most

areas dear of dangerous and destructive

Provincehas again been effective, and the

raiders has continued to decrease._. er, have been numerous, but the

tly leads them to imagine damagethese claims by graphic descriptions

. r occurred.ys in all Districts a game guard is

protector but from the point of view

the course of control operations.'!S Ibs., the biggest pair weighing

':necesSary to detail a guard to deal with.. di Gombolola, which are becomingtion extends into what for years has

the night before. The cow elephant wasa week raided matama at night and'

. the reserve before daylight. This lotmorning and the shooting of One was

road, which traverses the elephant-up views of these great beasts,

Jt4ve been reluctant to move away from.. dy elephants which never leave the~.

f1Jty to deal with the situation successfullyjiiag a single casualty.. . have a whole.ome respect for these

.' with a much appreciated and genuine'. ~.

75. An unusual case reported fr,

of S9 who had been making piano ke:with an electric saw lubricated witiIthe tusks were subjected was swablsponge soaked in water. The illnessface. Within three days the man belfever and on the fourth d~y he beca'to hospital . . . the patient died ftvNecropsy confirmed that the causespot sampling of surface areas of wh,bacilli WfI.S negative, and negative resuof the cleaning sponge. It is remarlfound on suspec'ed m~terial. In thiisolated from the tusks, and the metlrecording. A doubl" bucket was usebucket being perforated. Samples 0

by the man before his illness were Iwater and brushed. The washings \I

jugs. In the laboratory the sample'taken up in about 50 mI. of sterilea pure culture of B. QlIthracis was i~

early from gas-gangrene infection. Jculture without animal inoculation wa

76. The case illustrates tiIe i"the differential diagnosis of cutan",elephant tusks. It appears that tiIenwhich does not alter the physical qual

77. Power of Riftes.-In parag~

degree of penetration of a '416 solidinstances of the power of this rifle ar<

78. The Bunyoro Game Rang<heart shot at a bull buffalo which 1

together. At the shot the bull went'obehind him collapsed. She was parain the neck. The bull originally fire'

.away as a result of the heart shot, i.e,79. This Game Ranger also I

elephants killed with the Rigby .,examine, the bullet has gone clean th

This rather indicates unduly baltogether desirable for elephant shothe solid bullet' to be slightly more Sl

80. The same game guard whhas twice killed two buffaloes witiI •occasion the bullet passed throughthrough the head of a second one, f.,the neck shot and broke the ani~

through the heart of a second one an

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69. .Teso.-An unusual occurrence was an incursion by elephantsduring the first half of the year to the northern area of Amuria from wherethey were reported by porters engaged on road line clearance.

General70. European killed by Elephant.-An unfortunate accident occurred

.when a European employed on prospecting near the Hoindagi river, in theLake George region of Ankole, was returning to his camp one evening.When quite near the camp he apparently saw some elephants on the roadalong which he was walking. In order to avoid them he left the road andwhile proceeding up a slope in some forest he unexpectedly walked intomore elephants. He had a light rifle with him but was evidently chargedand seized before he had a chance to fire it. He was terribly injured anddied a few hours later before help or a doctor could reach him.

71. Capture of Juvenile Elephants.-1948 has had its quota ofunsuccessful attempts to rear in captivity baby elephants. The mostinteresting was the case of a tiny elephant which was probably not morethan 24 hours old when caught as the dry umbilical cord was still attachedto it. Although it was looked after and scientifically fed by a MedicalOfficer it survived only a brief four months. Not long before it died itappeared to be suffering from enteritis to which young animals in &aptivityare so susceptible. It was observed to indulge in a lot of earth eating whichwas probably indicative of a deficiency in its diet.

. This baby consumed an average of five pounds of dried milk per day,fl\itin addition a daily dose of 45 drops of radiostoleum. As the fat contentof elephant's milk is much higher than cow's milk the fat content of thedried milk ~as appropriately increased: salt was also added.

Young animals in captivity whieh are affected with boils and soresusually resppnd 8atisfactorily to penicillin treatment.

72. Biological Research.-Mr. J. S. Perry at the end of Octobercompleted his research on the reproductive cycle of the Mriean elephant,and during his two years' investigations he was able to examine I] 4­elephants. Until the material collected has been thoroughly examinedin the laboratory the technical value of the investigations will not be known,but in due course the results will be published. As many as seven elephantswere dissected in one day.

Me Perry discovered incidentally that the skulls and jaws of fresWykilled elephants become 'clean and inoffensive after about a week if leftin running water (a stream in a swamp was m:ed).

73. Recoveries of Illegally-possessed Ivory.-The police have recoveredeonsiderable and valuable quantities of iUegaily possessed ivory in theMengo District, and some salutary sentences have been inflicted onconviction of this serious breach of regulations.

74. Anthrax from Elephant Tusks.-The following extract fromThe Lancet of the 21St "'bruary, 1948, is of such extraordinary interestand importance that it is weU worth reproduction.

uAnthrax in man is contracted from infected animals or animalproducts, so elephant products would be expected to be a potential sourCeof human infection.

"

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currence was an incursion by elephal\tsto the northern area of Amuria from wheregaged on road line clearance.

I GeneralVePhant.-An unfortunate accident occurred, prospecting near the Hoindagi river, in the~, was returning to his camp one evening.iapparently saw some elephants on the road,In order to avoid them he left the road and~ some forest he unexpectedly walked intolit rifle with him but was evidently chargedknce to fire it. He was terribly injured and~lp or a doctor could reach him.

Ekphants.-1948 has had its quota ofin captivity baby elephants. The most

;fiy elephant which was probably not moret as the dry umbilical cord was still attachedd after and scientifically fed by a Medical:f four months. Not long before it died it~nteritis to which young animals in captivityrved to indulge in a lot of earth eating whichlficiency in its diet.verage of five pounds of dried milk per day,45 drops of radiostoleum. As the fat contentther than cow's milk the fat content of thelcreased: salt was also added.ty which are afIected with boils and sores, penicillin treatment.-Mr. J. S. Perry at the end of Octoberreproductive cycle of tbe African elephant,

lvestigations he was able to examine II4J collected has been thoroughly examined~ue of the investigations will not be known,ill be published. As many as seven elephants

identaIly that the skulls and jaws of fresWyand inoffensive after about a week if left

I swamp was used).'-possessed Ivory.-The police have recovered

tities of illegally possessed ivory in theutary sentences have been inflicted onof regulations.t Tusks.-The following extract' from

1948, is of such extraordinary interestreproduction.ed from infected animals or animal

ould be expected to be a potential source

..

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75. An unusual case reported from the United.States arose in a manof 59 who had been making piano keys from elephant tusks which he cutwith an electric saw lubricated with water. The only cleansing to whichthe tusks were subjected was swabbing the cores with a long-handledsponge soaked in water. The illness began with a small pimple on theface. Within three days the man became progressively ill with chills andfever and on the fourth day he became semi-comato:>e and was admittedto hospital ... the patient died five hours after admission to hospital.Necropsy confirmed that the cause of death was anthrax. Preliminaryspot sampling of surface areas of whole tusks for the presence of anthraxbacilli W<="S negative, and negative results were also obtained on examinationof the cleaning sponge. It is remarkable how seldom anthrax bacilli arefound on suspec'ed material. In this c",o the bacilli were subsequentlyisolated from the tusks, and the method of obtaining the sample is worthreeording. A double bucket was used, the sides and bottom of the innerbucket being perforated. Samples of tusk scraps which had been sawnby the man before his illness were placed in the inner bucht under tapwater and brushed. The washings were drained and poured into sterilejugs. In the laboratory the samples were centrifuged and the sedimenttaken up in about 50 ml. of sterile water. After guineapig inoculationa pure culture of B. anthracis w._, isolated. Some of the guineapigs diedearly from gas-gangrene infection. An attempt to isolate B. anthracis byculture without animal inoculation was unsuccessful.

76. The case illustrates the importance of considering anthrax inthe differential diagnosis of cutaneous lesions in workers who handlee1~phant tusks. It appears that there is no known m~,thod of sterilisationwhich does not alter the phYSIcal qualmes of the Ivory.

77. Power of Riftes.~In paragraph 46 reference is made to the highdegree of penetration of a .416 solid bullet in an elephant. Some furtherinstances of the power of this rifle are worth recording.

78. The Bunyoro Game Ranger using a Rigby .416 rifle took theheart shot at a bull buffalo which was one of a herd all standing closetogether. At the shot the bull went off with the rest of the herd, but a cowbehind him collapsed. She was paralysed due to the bullet having hit herin the neck. The bull originally fired at was found dying about 100 yards

,away as a result of the heart shot, i.e. two buffaloes with one shot!79. This Game Ranger also records that in nearly every case of

elephants killed with th~ Rigby .416 rifle which he has been able toexamine, the bullet has gone clean through the animal.

This rather indicates unduly high penetration power which is notaltogether desirable for elephant shooting, and it might be preferable forthe solid bullet to be slightly more snub-nosed than it is at present.

80. The same game guard who took the spine shot at an elephanthas twice killed two buffaloes with one shot when using a '416. On oneoccasion the bullet passed through the heart 01> one buffalo, and cleanthrough the head of a second one, from ear to ear; the other time he took.the neck shot and broke the animal's neck, the bullet then carrying onthrough the heart of a second one and passing out on its other side.

.,.. _ ..

•

SECTION III.-NOTES ON THE FAUNA

(A) Mammals

t

'".,,~

;,':';.:'' ....

l~~

89. Vervet monkers dllm'aging:ua1ly exterminated with the use

arsenite.

(ii) CARNIVORA

90. Litin.-Lions have caused''the Protectorate by killing stock.

In February, in Bulemezi (Bulshooting one after it had killed sevent

91. In northwest Karamoja ata lion family consisting of a male,

. cubs were observed in the shade ofcubs were up among the branches wito cache a lump of meat.

92. In Ankole the experimenattacked by lions which subsequentshot by a game guard at Merama Hill

93. In West Nile lions did',culprits were not brought to book.

94. In the Butuku region of ~

,by lions has become a serious probmade it difficult to deal with the c\,by the fact that the local inhabitanali the game in the area thus forcing 1

Rwebisengo lions mauled a game so"to take meat from the lion's kill he h

95. Leopard.-The protection.years has not yet restored them to tl,baboons and pigs have increased etit' is reported that wild pig havecultivation is becoming a complete III

96. In Kumi County of Teso ."with their dog early one morning !

,'One man was slightly mauled but.left him and jumped into a tree. A'and sticks soon collected and adva

,wn at the animal to persuade i.'into the crowd and mauled anothel

infuriated mob and killed.", 97. In Bunyoro a man set a 1,a leopard instead. He called for anOl• _pear at the animal. The leoPE

's aBsifrtance. Both men were,pita!. The leopard was later sh

98. The only reported caseMbale District early in Nove'

:devoured by a leopard which got a'

~14

(i) PRIMATES

82. Conlla.-For many years there have Qeen persistent rumoursof the occurrence of gorillas at the southern end of Ruwenzori in the regionaround the higher reaches of the Nyamugasani river. A reliable investigatorwho endeavoured to elucidate this mystery is convinced that this huge'ape does not occur in this locality.

83. According to a reliable report received from the western portionof the Kayonsa Forest in Kigezi an ancient rnale gorilla shared a waterhole with a nearby settlement. He was a cantankerous old gentlernan,but not fero<tious, and although on several occasions he met water carriersface to face he never attempted to molest them. •

84. Vide paragraph 133, 1934, the large gorilla troop 01 twenty ormore at that time is now said to total about thirty.

85. Baboons.-These destructive pests caused extensive dalnage tocrops in many parts of the Protectorate. Poisoning by sodium arseniteproved t'j be a very successful method of dealing with them and in theRuzhumbura and Kinkizi areas of Kigezi a minimum of 288 baboons weredestroyed in this manner. Good results were also obtained in Bunyoroand TesQ. It should be stressed that sodium arsenite is a very deadlypoison which should only be handled and laid by properly trainedpe"';onnel.

86. Blue Monkey.-An immature male specimen of what is believedto be a new species of blue monkey was obtained from the dense forestsat the northwest corner of Mt. Kadam (Debasien) in Karamoja, in April,by an Agricultural Officer.

This monkey is locally called "ENYURVl" and the Karamojong saythat the males are larger than the females and that the adults are almostentirely black. The British Museum (Natural History) has so far beenunable to identify this animal and more specimens are required.

87. Vervet Monkey.-The inhabitants of the Sese Islands state thatthere are plenty of this species (Cercopithecus aethiops) on Bukasa Island,the easternmost of the group, but none on the neighbouring island ofBufumira. Further they claim that if monkeys are taken to Bufumira theydie. The reason for this has not yet been discovered.

88. In Buvurna, crop raiding by these destructive animals becameso serious that an appeal for assistance was made to the Sleeping SicknessControl Unit operating in that area, as a result of which 1,141 monkeyswere destroyed.

81, This game guard also probably holds a. record by killing threebuffaloes with one shot with this same type of weapon. The bullet wentthrough the heart of the first, broke the neck of the second, and then intothe head of the third passing through the brain and finishing up in theneck.

- .....

15

Vervet monkeys damaging forest plantations in Kigezi wereexterminated with the use of bananas poisoned with sodium

(ii) CARNIVORA90. Lwn.-Lions have caused the usual trouble in varIOus parts of

the Protectorate by killing stock.In February, in Bulemezi (Buganda), a game guard succeeded In

shooting one after it had killed seventeen goats.91. In northwest Karamoja at the foot of the Nangaya Mountain

a lion family consisting of a male, female, and three almost full-grown·cubs were observed in the shade of •. large spreading fig tree. The threecubs were up among the branches where one was apparently endeavouring

· to cache a lump of meat.92. In Ankole the experimental herd of cattle at Nsongezi was

attaeked by lions whieh subsequently moved to Lugaga. One lion wasshot by a game guard at Merama Hill and two by a European in Nyabushozi .

93. In West Nile lions did a lot of damage in' K'oboko but the·culprits were not brought to book.

94. In the Butuku region of the Semliki area of Toro, cattle-killingby lions has become a serious problem. The nature of the country hasmade it difficult to deal with the culprits and the problem is aggravated

·by the fact that the local inhabitants have hunted and destroyed nearly· all the game in the area thus forcing the lions to turn to cattle-killing. Near'Rwebisengo lions mauled a game scout's porter. As the latter was tryingto ,"ke meat from the lion's kill he had little cause for complaint.

95. Leopard.-The protection afforded to the~e animals in recentyears has not yet restored them to their former numbers. As a result bothbaboons and pigs have increased enormously, and in some parts of Tesoit' is reported that wild pig have multiplied to such an extent that

· cultivation is becoming a complete gamble for the local inhabitants.96. In Kumi County of Teso two Africans walking along a footpath

· with their dog early one morning were suddenly attacked by a leopard.· One man was slightly mauled but when the alarm was raised the leopardleft him and jumped into a tree. A large crowd armed with spears, knives

,and sticks soon collected and advanced on the marauder. Stones werethrown at the animal to persuade it to leave the tree; it suddenly spranginto the crowd and mauled another man before it could be attacked bythe infuriated mob and killed.

97. In Bunyoro a man set a trap for pig in his shamba but eaughta leopard instead. He called for another native to assist him and then threw• spear at the animal. The leopard sprang at him but his friend came to'ilis ....ifllaIlce. Both men were badly mauled and had to be removed to1w&pital. The leopard was later shot.

98. The only reported case of man-eating occurred north of Kamugejn Mbale District early in November when a woman was killed and:devoured by a leopard which got away.

ON THE FAUNA

Iy:~ a,record by killing threetype of weapon. The bullet w;ntneck of the second, and then into

the brain and finishing up in the

ture male specimen of what is believednkey was obtained from the dense forests

, Kadam (Debasien) in Karamoja, in April,

there have 'Qeen persistent rumoursrn end of Ruwenzori in the region

jlalUl!:as;mi" river. A reliable investigatormystery is eonvinced that this huge'

'NpOrt received from the we,tern portion• 1111 ancient male gorilla shared a water'lie was a cantankerous old gentleman,

several occasions he met water earriers'Inolest them.

the large gorilla troop of twenty orabout thirty.

etive pests caused extensive damage torotectorate. Poisoning by sodium arsenite

method of dealing with them and in the•s of Kigezi a minimum of 288 baboons were1;000 results were also obtained in Bunyorossed that sodium arsenite is a very deadly

handled and laid by properly trained

called "ENYURVI" and the Karamojong sayb. the females and that the adults are almostMuseum (Natural History) has so far beenand more specimens are required.'he inhabitants of the Sese Islands state that. (Cercopithecus aethiops) on Bukasa Island,

• but none on the neighbouring island ofthat if monkeys are taken to Bufumira they

yet been discovered.• . g by these destructive animals became

, ce was made to the Sleeping SicknessIrea, as a result of which 1,141 monkeys

""

- ---..--- . '"¥y- .JU i.~~.~ ~.

.;:.

16

99. A Chief in Kigezi shot and killed a leopard whieh had seriouslymauled several men in Nyaruisiza. He thus belied his nick-name ofuPiga miss" which he had earned n13ny years ago when, as a NativeAdministration askari, he failed to hit a raiding Munyaruanda at pointblankrange.

100. Four tiny leopard cubs were sent to the Game Warden fromGulu. He looked after them for three months and they turned out to bethe most delightful, clean and interesting pets. They were eventuallyshipped to the Sydney Zoo but unfortunately died on the voyage.

101. At Katunguru (Toro) a marauding leopard killed several goats,which was not surprising as the flocks there are left to graze untended.The raider, evidently a casual visitor, eventually went away. It could havebeen trapped with local co-operation, but as the African complainantsrefused to give any assistance whatsoever to the Fisheries Officer he wasinstructed to do nothing.

102. Hunting Dog.-In August twelve of these destructive beastswere shot by a Game Ranger near the Nyamugasani on the border of theLake George Game Reserve. Poison baits were laid to deal with theremainder but without success as they were all pieked up by hyenas.

103. OtOcyon megalotis.-The Agricultural Officer, Moroto, collectedin Karamoja a specimen of Oiocyon megalotis, referable presumtbly to theEast Mrican race virgatus, the big-eared fox, which is the first recordfrom Uganda of this interesting, nocturnal species. The skin and skull,which were sent to the Game Warden, have been presented to the UgandaMuseum.

The Karamojong, to whom it is well-known, call this animal"AMEGURI'\ and they describe it as a small, dog-like creature with largeblack ears, moving about in twos or threes, living in holes, and feeding forthe most part on white ants.

The Karamojong names for certain other members of the Canidaeare:-

KWEE Silver-backed Jackal.OLOO Side-striped Jackal.

(both the above names are onomatopoeic).EPEOT ... Hunting Dog or Mrican Wild dog.

(iii) UNGULATES104. Buffalo.-Buffalo control continues to present a serious problem

particularly in view of the difficulties in obtaining suitable new rifles andadequate supplies of ammunition. This year again over three thousandbuffaloes have been killed through various agencies, but this wastage hasmade little impression on their vast numbers.

IDS. As a result of the Mrican Rinderpest Conference held inNairobi in October, which was attended by the Game Warden, a schemedesigned to clear a twenty mile wide buffalo-free belt along the Uganda­Sudan Border for the purpose of breaking the rinderpest link with the Sudan •is to be introduced. This scheme, which will be in charge of an AsianGame Ranger, is expected to take five years to complete.

.<~

1

17

106. In January a Game Rangerillest of the Forest Department, to

cated for forestry and resettlelll<orted that he found buffaloes in 1

isumba valleys, in herds as big as twJfficult owing to forests and long gi-al

is only resulted in the anhna1s being d,e Ranger stated that he considered t

position would have been just the '"s area.

1°7. In March a9sistance was give]the shooting up of the Rusozi herd I

-hich it was driven northwards towardsIn Busoga 345 buffaloes were killedTribal hunts have accounted for'

one hunt alone forty-one were killed.108. Various fatalities have occur

se beasts. In Toro people complaiI'der of their Chiefs, they were frequoma area twenty men are alleged to

iUt one man who was injured 3dmitteLt. These people are unable to resi,a buffalo if it appears in a pig drive.

109. In Mubende the servant ole, a 7 mm. and went buffalo huntitJi

",th two shots but the animal ran ~

ded it with a further two shots,t away. They continued in pursuit u',rd time, when one nlan climbed a ttl

LotS. The buffalo by this time h..ion-later a policeman had to fire,imal to enable what remained of the

'ho allowed his rifle to be used was C'Buganda Government, and was distI

110. A lady tells of her terrifyinjMasindi-Atura road at night. Sh

:r own words, "bared it's teeth and w;

II L Roan Antelope.-A herd ofdes is frequently seen in the Kikag1

'js the race langheldi which occurs andII2. Eland.-A herd of sixty Iu

'Infortunately, owing to the large q~

'vides, it suffers greatly from the delthe localities in which it occurs it itding its own. .

"3. Greater Kudu.-This magniltaramojong, is now definitely recor,

17

106. In January a Game Ranger visited southern Ankole, at therequest of the Forest Department, to drive away buffaloes from areasdemarcated for forestry and resettlement schemes. The Game Rangerreported that he found buffaloes in large numbers in the Rivoko andMisumba valleys, in herds as big as two hundred head, but shooting wasdifficult owing to forests and long grass. Although forty-one were shotthis only resulted in the animals being driven from one valley into another.The Ranger stated that he considered that if four hundred had been shotthe position would have been just the same. Some big heads were seen inthis area.

107. In March a.sistance was given to the 1 setse Control Departmentin the shooting up of the Rusozi herd of buffalo in Ankole, as a result ofwhich it was driven northwards towards Ibanda.

In Busoga 345 buffaloes were killed by two game guards.Tribal hunts have accounted for a considerable number; III Acholi

In one hunt alone forty-one were killed.108. Various fatalities have occurred as a result of encounters with

these beasts. In Toro people complained that when hunting 'pig, at theorder of their Chiefs, they were frequently attacked by buffalo. In theNkoma area twenty men arc alleged to have been killed in this manner,but one man who was injured admitted that he had speared 'the buffalofirst. These people are unable to resist the temptation to throw a spearat a buffalo if it appears in a pig drive.

109. In Mubende the servant of a Chief "borrowed" the latter'srifle, a 7 mm. and went buffalo hunting with a frlend. He wounded onewith two' shots but the animal ran away. They followed it and againwounded it with a further two shots but the long-suffering beast againgot away. They continued in pursuit until the animal was located for thethird time, when one man climbed a tree while the other fired three moreshots. The buffalo by this time had had enough and took offensiveaction-later a policeman had to fire yet another shot at the woundedanimal to enable what remained of the man to be recovered, The Chiefwho allowed his rifle to be used was dealt with in exemplary fashion bythe Buganda Government, and was dismissed.

IIO. A lady tells of her terrifying experience when travelling alongthe Masindi-Atura road at night. She encountered a buffalo which, inher own words, "bared it's teeth and was about to charge"!

II 1. Roan Antelope.-A herd of fourteen animals of this attractivespecies is frequently seen in the Kikagati area of Ankole. In this Districtit is the race langheldi which occurs and it is strictly protected.

lIZ. Eland.-A herd of sixty has been seen in northern Acholi.Unfortunately, owing to the large quantity of meat this fine antelopeprovides, it suffers greatly from the depredations of poachers, but in mostof the localities in which it occurs it is gratifying to report that it is stillholding its own.

II3. Greater Kudu.-This magnificent antelope, "AMAKuTA" of theKararnojong, is now definitely recorded from Napak (or Mt. Kamalinga),

...

It

there having been previously considerable doubt of its occurrence in thislocality. One has heen seen recently in the southwest corner of thismountain,~ and three others in the northwest. The Karnmojong state thatthese animals are also to be found on the Nyakwai HiJls in southernLabwor, and the horns of one said to have been killed by a lion were foundin the region of Munyan, north of the Moroto river.

IIf. Lesser Kudu.-A fine lesser kudu was shot within a few milesof Moroto.

"5. Bushhuck.-Late one night a large saloon car collided witha bushbuek at mile 6 on the Kampala-Entebbe road. The buck waskilled outright and the car sustained extensive damage to the radiator.

IIO. Uganda Kob.-Kob have again suffered heavily as a result oftsetse control and tribal hunts. In the Acholi-I ..ango area Ts.etse Departmenthunters killed +00 kob during the quarter 1St January--3rst March; duringthe same peril>ll tribal hunts accounteq. for 176.

II7, An observer reported having seen what he thought to be analbino kob near the l\rlurchison Falls. These animals, however, are knO\\'l1

to vary in the Acholi restricted a.rea from white J.O roan to almost black.118. l\rlountain Reedburk.-A specimen of this uncommon species

was obtained on the higher slopes of Napak. The mountain reedbuckis also knovm to occur on Mt. Kadam and ;vIt. Moroto.

"9. Jackson's Hartebeest.-The kongoni has been hard hit by tsetsecontrol operations and tribal hunts. The former accounted for 490 ofthese animals in the Acholi- Lango area during the first three months ofthe year. In this area for the same period tribal hunts killed 38,.

120. Blue Duiker.-The "ntalaganiya", as.it is locally called, continuesto be persecllted for its soft skin which is much in detrumd for makingkarosses. A Ranger in the 'Vestern Province discovered that they werebeing trapped and the skins ~old for as little as twenty cents each. Poachingof this sort is difficult to eradicate.

J21. Bush Pig.-A Fisheries Officer while proceeding by launchfrom Katunguru towards Lake George one morning came across a bushpig nea~ mid-channel swimming towards the Ankole shore. Its methodof proceeding through the water was unusual, as, with its back above water,it moved with its head completely submerged. At intervals of about fifteenseconds it stopped paddling, lifted its head, took a deep breath and startedoff .gain. It was thought at the time that it might be injured, so rhe launchwas taken alongside and one of the crew instructed to put a rope round it.This he did very expertly by lassoing the animal at the second attempt,and no doubt with visions of pork. There was found to be nothing wrong'with this pig which, with open mouth, demonstrated by lunging at theman holdini> the rope that it was full of life. Mter taking some photographsit was turned loose in the water to the disgust of all the Mricans aboard.It was last seen swimming strongly towards the T;ro shore from whichit probably started its swim.

[22. The usual intensive campaign against the bush pig whereverthis destructive species is numerous continues to be carried out mercilessly,but without making much impression on its ravaging hordes.

19

] 23. Hippopotamus-Throughout the waters of the Protectorate thehippopotamus continues to thrive, although a certain number have hadto be killed in defence of property and others have been poached for thevalue of their meat.

]24. A few have been shot in Lake Mutanda in southwest Kigezifor damaging cultivation, but as this big creature is beneficial to theeconomic fisheries by fertilising for plankton growth the shallow watersin which it lives, the local Native Authority has been advised that onlya very few should be destroyed.

u5. In the Nile from Pakwach to ~imule, where they are notprotected, the usual large numbers have been speared by the local Mricans.

u6. In September a hippopotamus had to be shot at the MurchisonFalls by a game guard in charge of a party of visitors, when one of themdisobeyed his orders and went baek to take a photograph of the animalafter being warned to move away. The result of this folly was that thegame guard had to kill the infuriated creature in defence of the party.

]27. Although, in Busoga, 95 hippopotamuses were destroyed bygame guards, these animals 8t111 wander freely over the Jinja golf course,but usually in the early small hours, unseen and unmolested by theinhabitants.

128. One fisherman was drowned when a hippo upse~ a canoe inthe Kazinga Channel. Two old hippos which would probably have causeda similar tragedy were shot at the Katwe landing.

A game guard was twice sent to Kome to deal with an aggressivehippopotamus which was interfering with fishing canoes. This was atthe urgent request of the local Native Authority, but on neither occasioncould tae beast be located, mainly because the local inhabitants refusedto afford any assistance.

]29. The Kichwamba Fisheries Officer had an unpleasant experiencewhen, on going :?shore on one occasion, the launch unintentionaHyseparated a mother hippo from its very young calf. The mothcr at firstdashed away in alarm bellowing loudly but returned a few moments laterwhen its youngster started to squeal. Mter finding it could not get roundthe boat the enraged animal started to butt the port how and then tried toget into the launch. On being prodded in the snout with the end of a riflebarrel it moved away a few yards where, fortull:J.tely, it remained untilthe crew were able to start the engine and back the launch away. The hippothen joined its youngster, hut still seemed very upset as she continuedsnorting and making a lot of noise after the launch had left.

]30. At Entebbe, off the Botanical Gardens' shore, a hippopotamuswas accidentally enclosed in a seine net. The animal was not in the leastperturbed, and when the net lUTived near the land it calmly stepped overit and regained deeper water!

]31. Reco,ding of Hippos Belwwing.-An American visitor whowanted to obtain a sound recording of hippos "shouting defiance at eachother" was given an opportunity of fulfilling his desire in the KazingaChannel ~rea. When it was getting fairly late he was taken to a small bayin which there were ahout ]00 hippos. The visitor hopefully set up his

•.';h.. .~cl~ range,

I1lt: 'rhino iJ~eatb

,,."'~ flf eyes ,, ~,~tiOnB, liav~'-; -Every y

~__.;.eltt~ tail•.S'I,j.I. ' h Jlllle twp T~

.y sholiring a giraffe in'•. to pay a fine of sixt, linea seemed litde enoul

are enilanged with Sew:rent· ,.alue is said to'4Z,;.~,~SepteIT!bef £elMadf .. pf the Nil

rest: oi.rjiraffe males a'43.~"a~This ga~

areaS' ..:. "1-0rth andbei plai,*- ;" ,

"IV) T\lBULIDENTATA

, '#' Ant Bear.-A pai'f:Lia river below a now

but tne male wasly very tired and. He made slow pI

reached the undel,7 ~tu;Uly went to gtm

~uing the female prep"ir love-liie to a sudden at

: It is reported that the n

~THRA

~i'. Ground Pangolin~ of this curious ,,tist who is engaged on '

7 'RODENTIA

.t;: )l Anomalure or },~~ -.. ~.' .on forest species

r. P. 0, Matthews wi:Kin, skull and skeletoi; presented to the Ugl

.',}'tars ago and more, iiIt! given by·the aspita!Wiima wife.

:, '~ound S~rn

la<ustris is out 01;) where it digs up!- nursery. 1

"'''~''P:s:ht-\iill& AkW = I

20

.;,.,.",..

outfit within a few yards of the nearest hippo but the animal. just .tedat him. However, he was persuaded to wait quietly, and out of sight. Mtera while a hippo bellowed and wa., answered by another and a shortrecording made, then the animals became quiet again. It was thensuggested that the recording "f these two hippos be played back at them.This did the trick and was an immediate success, as it started all the hipposbellowing in return and as so"n as the chorus eased off the recording wasplayed back to start them off again.

'32. Hippopotamus Fat.-A sample of hippopotamus fat was sentto Cambridge for analysis.

133. lVhite Rhinoceros.-This strictly preserved species continuesto thrive, almost unmolested, in West :-<ile.

In April, however, ten men were arrested for killing a white rhino.When tried at Arua they claimed that the animal had attacked them andthey had to kill it in self defence. They were acquitted.

'34. In September a Game Ranger on sa1'ari in West Nile reportedmuch spoor in a swamp northwest of Laufori. He also saw four whiterhino which he stated appeared to be quiet and docile and although theygot his whul they walked off quite happily, .

. In October the Ranger reported that the white rhin" had moved awayfrom their normal Iulbitat in the region of Rhino Camp, probably as a resultof the increased population. •

'35. Black Rltinoceros.-SeveraJ incidents occurred to maintain tlwpopular reputation of this animal as a ::ttupid but dangerouR nuisance al\dthe usual yearly quota has had to be destroyed,

136. In January an Indian Tsetse Ranger in Acholi was charged, by a pair of rhino when travelling with his porters along an elephant 'trackthrough high grass, The Ranger stood his ground and waited for a clearshot at close range, but at the last moment the first rhino swerved to follow

I a running porter and with other porters in the line of fire the Ranger wasunable to shoot. The second rhino, a young beast, was speared by theporters and finally shot as it charged a tracker. In the meantime the'firstrhino had succeeded in tossing and badly injuring one man beforedisappearing into the grass with its horn entangled in the sling o(a sparerifle which the man had been carrying.

'37. In Acholi, in May, a couple of rhino attacked the camp ofa pair of Tsetse Department hunters at midnight when they were S<>llridasleep. Roused by wild yells they emerged from their tent with their riResand saw the two rhino stamping on the fire and charging towards a y'eIlingporter who had slept by the fire to dry meat. They both fired eallsing therhino to swerve thus saving thc man. The beasts continued to be aggressiveand the hunters had to fire again to stop another charge, The next day:although a quantity of blood was found the wounded animals were nottraced. The porter was untouched by the rhino but was badly burnt bythe fire which had been kicked over him by the charging beasts!

r38. A Tsetse Department officer had an unpleasant experienceon the Kaeheri Range in Karamoja in May, when his party was corneredin a narrow, rocky valley by three rhinos. He managed to shoot the bull

'.

21

anhl! cow, at close range, when they charged and finally persuaded thecaJ!to retire. The rhino in this area appear to be very aggressive andinvariably take umbrage at being disturbed.

t 39. 'A series of eyes collected from black rhinoceros, killed <luringtsetse control operations, have been sent to an investigator in Tanganyika.

140. GirafJe.-Every year a few of these apimals are poached forthe sake of th8ir tails.

141. In June two Tsetse Department hunters were convicted forillegally shooting a giraffe in Acholi. They were sentenced, by the nativeCourt, to pay a fine of sixty shillings each or six months imprisonment.The fines seemed little enough since the Acholi say that as many as twentyhoes are exchanged with Sudanese for a giraffe's tail and in Karamojatheir current value is said to be one full-grown ox.

'42. In September reports were received of a herd of giraffe on theEast Madi Q'll'k of the Nile with three animals very much darker thanthe rest: Old giraffe males are often very dark, sometimes liver colo Jr.

143.: Z.~bra.~This gaudy animal appears to be holding * own inthe areas to the north and south of the Katonga river, and also on theSebei plaini.

(iv) T\lBULIDENTATA

'44. Ant Bear.-A pair of ant bears fell into a shallow well close tothe. Lia river below a house at Moroto in Karamoja. The female wasdrowned but the male was hauled up with the aid of ropes. He was

.Obviously very tired and hungry and after being photographed wasreleased. He made slow progress at a clumsy canter. in bright sunlight,!Jnt'" he r"ached the undergrowth when he greatly increa5ed his speedarid fflntually went to ground. It is thought that the mal~was probablypursuing the female prep?ratory to mating until the accident broughttheir love-life to a sudden and tragic end.

It is reported that the male was very "photophobic"!

(v} NOMARTHRA

14-5. Ground Pangolin or Scaly Ant-eater (Smutsia temminckii).-Aspecimen of this curious creature was collected in West Madi by thescientist who is engaged on elephant biological research.

(vi) RODENTIA

1+6. Anomalure or African Flying Squirrel.-A specimen of thisllucornmon forest species was collected in the western Kayonsa Forest

-by Mr. P. O. Matthews when a large tree about 100 feet high was felled.The skin, sku:ll and skeleton were sent to the Game Warden and these havebeen presented to the Uganda Museum. Formerly in this locality someten years ago and more, it is said that this little creature was the Batwadowry given by the aspirant swain to his father-in-law to be: nothing elsewon him a wife.

147. Ground Squirrel.-The common ground squirrel Euxeruserythropus lacustris is out of favour with the Forest Department at Kachlmg

- (Lango) where it digs up and eats the seeds of Gmelina arborea in theforestty nursery.

22

148. Rodents.-Rodents at Muko, at the northern extrcmit)' of LakeBunyonyi in Kigezi, have been causing extt:nsive damage in forestr)'

lantations by Garking cypress trees to a height of two to three feet ".bovethe ground. Rodents trapped in these plantations which may be theculprits are Loplmromys silwpllsi ansorgei and LopllllfOmys flqllilus.

(B) Birds149. Rosy Pelican (Pelecanus onocrolalus).-This pelican, generally,

has been as plentiful 3S ever on Lake Ed\vard ;.~nd Lake George. It hasheen calculated that the harm it canses the economic fisheries is of tmlstaggering proportions, bnt this is referred to in paragraphs 3 I 5 and 4-32to 438 of the Fisht:ries Section of this Report. .'\ local breeding grollnoof this species has yet tu be discovered.

IS0. Pinl?-backed Pelican (Pelecalllls nifescens).-The feeding hahits,f this species are referred to in paragrnph~ 315 and +34 of the Fisheries~ection of this Report.

151. Golia/It lin-on (TyplurII /!oliath).-This fine heron breed'commonly in the vicinity of Lakes Edward and George. Tt is not acommunal brccdel, 1houl'{h :c:everal nests may he found on one smallislano. :vIost of the 11I':St$ are not readily accessible, placed as they are ontop of spikey Eupho1'l>ias. In this locality the hrccd.in~ sca"nIl eXlemh£rom September to Jammry.

152. Night lIernn ('i\Tyctievrax II. nyc/ieorax).-This species is eit heruncomm0l1 or else cxtn.:mely locllJ as it is rarely encountered. One wasseen OIl the Razinga Channel in '\ovt:mber.

153. Whilf S(orl~ (Cievllia c. ciconia).-Two while storks whichh?d [rcyuented \rasaka golf coun;c for several weeh \\ ere still there atthe end of May.

154. Open-bill (/lllGS/OllIllS lamelligerus).-Although flock!; of opcn­bills tot?lling abollt 300 birds were seen in th~ vicinity of mile 60 on tilKampalc>.-l\lasah road during JlIne, July, August and Reptember nohr,>cuing colony w?'> located ;~Ith()ugh these are the USll?l ne, ting mont~;.

In Busog,•. , :'. s01'll\ hreeding colony was reported in :\ vcry tall 11171/!f'

tri':C' whicL contained y()tln~ hird.s in August.155. Saddle-hill S/.)rl< (Ephippiorhynclll/s sl'11l'galnHis).-Tn .\prJ) a

pair of the$c storks wt'"n. reported nesting ne?!' Kabtanda on tht: .\nku)e'ide of the Kazinga Channel. The nest, \\ hich wa$ .1 lar~e one measurillgsome 9 ft. by 6 ft., W2S in a flat topped Ellpl/(Jrhia ahout 25 ft. off lhe groundand 20 vards from the water. 1\ 0 eggs wert: seen until 5th June whena Pisheries Officer \'isited the ncst and. founu one of th.e birch; incuhatingthree eggs. Cnfortunately the sittin~ hi I'd deserted and four days latt:rit was found that the nest had been abandoned notwithstandillg the factthat the eggs were on the point of hatching.

Thi!' i5 the first authenticated record of the hreeding of the ~udcUe-hiU

tork in Uganda.156. }It]arabolll Stud? (Leptop/ilos rnmu1l1je/'lls).-Thcre \S IlO

dimin~tion in numbers of this odtl-looking IJird at the Katwe andKatunguru fish landings on Lake Edward and thc Kazinga Channel.

An. egg laid caltllally·ovemher.

157· Yellow-billed ,')./common species ill theregion. thotlgh nu br('euin,bird hrought ,in by a locala pct at tht Kichwamha 110

lSR. Glossy lbis (P!egaon Kpzanga dam some 32They were :.tIl. young hi rds.bred in Cganoa.

r59 Africa/l Sp/):J1l-bodd-hilled bird wa." ohfLake Edwaro.

rfio. l,es.~er Flami1lgohas heen an. oc('a.<;iona) visjin tht: westcrn nft. Dr' edin

161. lVlli/t'-hufked Dllediving d\lck is ~ common ain the Ma£aka District.

162. Blark Ri'i.'er DueAccasion,..l \ isitor to I ,ake, :\~:

1 fi3. ({nob-lulled Guo.l'eomOlon specIes on most of rhn the Kyazanga dam it is fit

16+ Egyptilill CUlHe (,noisy Egyptian goose is ITr)

and Ka.zinga Ch:ltlnd regionRwensarna on th(: KigLZi sllvas found brecoing in an old I

ros Fish Ea!flr (('1I11flll

unmi~takah)e dangin!! cry isLake George and Kaziug;•.

I December YOllng unes njuvenile wa." kept at the Kieh:'\ear a western Ankole cratela clifT from which it "'a.<; pothe eaglet".

1 r,6, Fult111'l1lf Fish Euglof this hanusollW, piebald eawhere thi:- species undoubtedl

T67. La11llllergeyer or Bea,A Rockefeller Institute n:j:eahird at I he nort hem end of Rll

168. StOlle .Pnr/,.il~tte orA nest of this interesting littlin ROllth-eastern AcholJ on 30'all rock) hills In Kar;~moia,

•

northern extremity of aketensi ve cL'l.magc i fore try~t of l wo to three f et above

tat ions whit'h llllly be thepllllrol1lYs aquiIus.

/S).-Thi. peli, n, generally,d ~)nu Lak corge. It hasIconomi fisheri is of truly) in P< rag-mphs J T5 and +3;t. A local hr edmg ground

~eSfi'11 ).-'1'h feeding hahiU!~15 ,!Il I +3+ f the Fisheries

-1 h.it> nm. heron hI' edsI and e rge. ft is n t alIt be found on om' . mnll:ssiblc, placed tiS they are onthe breed'ng" • ea~()n xtend.

Jra;v).-This species is eithertreh encountered. On' w·

-T"o while tJrks which'al weeks were still there at

-AltitOll h floch 0 op 'u­le \icinity of mile 60 onlneAUgll <l'ld Sept mber no• Ihe w ual ne~ ting- month ..'epl rt d in :t n~ry I II 11I7'/llp

I mll'gl1lemi. ). Tn pril a,'r • -akatand, on the Ankulch was u lur rc one rnt:asuring,ia ahour 2 ~ L. oft' lhe ground

~een Itn i1 5th June wh 11

(Inc (( th· hirds incuhatingles 'rtt:J • nll t ur da later1 U I\lltwltl st: niling Ille fact

Ie br.:edinl{ of the saddLe-bill

IllltNlifem. ).-There i· n~ bird at the Katwe antILhe Kazinga hannel.

23

• n gg laid casually on the ~round wa. found at T atwe un 20tl

November.1 ~7. Yellow-hdled Slorh or WOI)d ihis (lbis ihis).-Th.i: is a fairly

common p cie. in the Lake Edward, LIke Georg..: and Kmr.inga ella !'lelregi 0, tho gh no bre >ding colony h:/S yet heen located. Howe" r, a youngbird hrough in I y a lneal ric;\n during r()47 \Va.;; kepl for some time asa pe ,.t the Yichwa.l ba lIotel.

158. GIl)ssy This (Plegadi: falduel/us) -riftci.'n were seen in .L - ovcmberon Ky".zanga dam some ]2 miles beyond r<l.'\1.~ on the 'Ibarar r ,td.They were alL oun~ bird.• anu it i~ bdie\'c;:u tliat they hau pI' b, bI)' heenbred in. l"ganda.

159. African Spuon-bill (Pla/({lt~a ulbtJ).-A •mall flock of thisodd-hilled bird W,1,\ oh!'.cLYd 111 .\ugust at R\\ n.g<101 on lhe Kig~zi 5horeof Lake 'd\\'ard.

roo. Les er Flamingo (PllOe1licofla;m rnl/llJr).-Thc lcs~r flamingohas been <In occ' ~i()nal \'isi or in . m:lll numl rs on. yari us ~a.line lakesin the w stern rift. BrecuJng h,1$ not. Ipen ; ttempted.

TO!. Wllit£!-ourlud f)l/cI~ (TlJulmsI)YlIi,l' II'/Ico/lotus).-The white-backeddiving tluek is [1. common and br~cdirtg fipccies on mo. t of Lh': larger damsin !he Ma~aka OL triet.

162. BI(lcl~ Ri"w Duck (./lJla,~ sparsa). -The hlack river duck i' anoccasional \ j 'itor to Lake. -kugl t , ',1. Lutolo, in '" e~tern .\nkole.

163. KI/oh-billed Coos£' (. urkidlOrlll,~ lIlelanol/o/a).-The knoh-bill is acommon species (n mo~t of I e I. rgcr w.ms in the :Vh, <lka Dislrict. At timesun the Kyaza.nga dam it i. at IInclant. Wher:. it bre ~ is still mystery.

TOt. Egyptian Goose (.4lopocheu ni'gyptiaCIIs).-Thl' Illinusome andnoisy Eg)~ptim gOOSl.: i. vcr, common In the Lake Edw<lnl. Lal e Georgeand. Ka7.inga Channel region. and IS pnticularly Jblmd.ant and tame t

Rwensama (n the Ki c7i shore or Lake Ed.ward. On Lak org' un'wa founo breeding- in an old fish eagle's nest fully 80 fed above tht:: ground.

[OS. Fish Eagle ( 'unrl/Illa 'i'orijer). ThiS magnificent cagle with. itunmi.takabk clangin)! cry is a \er_ common >1p cies in the Luke Edward,Lake Georg and l'azing,~ hannd region where it ne'L~ [rom AugUSL

to December. Y ung oncs mal,;: inler '\ ing pc ; f)r some time a largejuvenile wa' kept at the Kichwamba Hotd wher\: it enjoyul full freedom.IJear a western _\nkole crater lake it fish e(!,glc'~ nest was l) r100kcd bya dill' f.t·om which it was possible to !t:<1rt1 mUl:h <\bOllt the home life oftI c ·aglcts.

166. //Ultlll7'/l1' Fish Hagle (Gypnltitrr(J.\' aJlg{JI{,llSi.~).-Sevaal spcl:imcn,of this hand orne, piehald. cagle fre lUC t Lake Saka (ncal:' Fort Port(11)wh re th.i:; sp cit und t btt:dly ne:ts. [t i. rare in Uganda,

107. Lummergeyer 01" Bearded Vulture (Gypaetl/S barbatlls lIIeridio/lalis).­Rocketeller Inslitute re~ 'arch worker h,1." 'uclllificd this m1~1 i11· I1t

hiI'd at the northern end of Ru\\'enzori.16. • 'toile Partridge or Rock Ran/am (l'lil()pad/ll.~ primms emil/i).­

A nesl uf this inl(~reSl ing Ii tIc rock fo\\ I contn.inmg four e "'gs was foundin south-eastt:'rn Acholi on. 30th Decemher. It is .-aid La he abundant on"III 1'0 'ky hills in r aramoia.

•

24

,69. Afman ~ake (Crecopsis egregia).-A 'pecimen of this sk1/kingspecies, which Jackson writes "ib a rare bird in collections," waS collectednear Katwe (Lake Edward) in September.

'70. Little Reed Hen (Porphyrula alleni).-Although widely <ustributeq.this small waterfowl owing to its shy and retiring habits is rarely ~seen.

A live specimen, caught in the Nabajuzi river in mid-May, was ""otlghtinto Mas,aka: it escaped after one day in captivity. A few pairs wereobserved on the Ntusi dam in the same District. ..'.,

'71. Lesser Moorhen (Gallinula angulata).-This is another of theless known species of waterfowl which is probahly mOre common inUganda than is apparent, for it is possibly often confused with its laFgerrelative the Mrican moorhen. A few pairs were seen on the Ntusi dam. inthe Masaka District.

'72. Peters' Finfoot (Padua senegalensis peteni).-This odd-lookingaquatic species, appearing h"lf duck ".nd half cormorant, is widely- butvery sparingly distributed. Except by the ornithologist it is unlikely to berecognised. One was seen in Novemher on the Kazinga Channel.

'73. Afman Jacana or Lily Trotter (Actophilornis afrlcanus).-InAugust, an amazing concentration of at lelU:>t twO hundred lily trotterswas seen on Pistia stratiotes (Nile cabbage) in a tiny lagoon at Rwensamaon the Kigez{ coast of Lake Edward.

r74. Jackson's Greater Bustard (Neotis cafra jarksoni).-This finebustard is common in the region where the Districts of Karamoja, Langoand Acholi all meet. Its me.in breeding season is during the. latter half"of January and in February, and it appears that it lays only one egg.

'75. Kitlitz's Sand Plover (Charadrius p. pecuanUs).-This delightfullittle plover which breeds in suitable sandy localities along the shores ofLake Victoria WaS found breeding in September on the Lake George shore.

'76. Black-win/?ed Stilt (Himantopus h. himantopus).-Thi, comic­looking wader was found breeding nea, the Kaianja lagoon (Lake Edward)in June: It had also bred llbout the same tune at Rv.'ensama on the Kigezishore 'of Lake Edward) where juveniles were seen in August. "t

'77· Snipe.-Large numbers 01 snipe are reported to have appearedon Kyazanga dam in Masaka District in October; this is early for theirannual southerly migration which usually is intensive during the fullmoon at the end of November or in early Decemb~r.

'i8. Painted Snipe (Ro¥ratula benghalensis).-This curious waderwhich where it oCCurS is conspicuous by its almost owl-like flight isprobably more common than is generally thought. It is resident on theKyazanga dam in the Masaka District where it breeds when conditionsare favourable, it also occurs at Lake Nalavali in southern Ankole andprobably b'eeds. But its main strongholds appear to be Rwensama onthe Kigezi shore of Lake Edward, 2.nd Kinyampidzi near the Kaianjalagoon in Taro, e.lso on Lake Edward. In this latter locality it was breeditlgin the latter part of June and in early July. It also OCcurs sparingly atKatwe salt Jake, but it is not known whether it breeds there.

r79. East African Pratincole (Glareola pratincola fulleborni).-Thisdainty little bird, sometimes aptly callcd the swallow plover, breeds in

•

.~ of Lake Edward.it- far the eggs have- not

Ccting....tind is at oft'jil.ded and crippled bi .

~r~~ ,~~~_~. '.~ ,~

. Stone Curl~r: frtj.;/ClI8).-This odd-lookID;:'Spe

~. Uganda lakes usually advertise.its particular!y noisy in br

,.•.defiIlite association with cr<breed there too will be fow

OIl the ground within a I

·(J.ake Edward) a d.ikk~Pof elephant droppings;

,'for a similar purpose. .

c18I. Scandinawln Lesser B .d July an adult Larus fus

ibugyo, in Bwamba, western To~

'C' Expedition. As it was ill andl" c.. On one leg it carried a ri1

"(12. a""'bil/ed Tern (GeWche~. of this beautiful tern were s

shoi'e of Lake Edward. It is'Il little' earlier in this neig~

activity... , Milky Eagle Owl (Bubo

. ~d juveniles strong on. lly appear in Nove,

inga Channel area b::-hammer-head stork ne'

,·ft ..f.1venile D,,¥ly a. to fly.

'r,~..::t.~!twe~~ainimbi, ·ltyebondogoto, .

Masaka District, on various daJthe dams in the Teso and LangeWwing geese were reported in ~

,,~ 'ya on Bugaba Island of the Se,·~l8S·. Black Bee-eater (Melittoph,

black bee·eater, a species not hiin Bwamba, western Toro, ~

,erved to be nesting in the banksd by the road to Bundibugyo.

Honey Guide (Indicator spp.at Kichwamba Hotel reported

. black-throated species, came 01

25

June 0,+ shores of Lake Edward at Rwensama (Kigtzi) and Kinyampidzi(Toro). So far the eggs have not been found locally, though intrusionon to a breeding ground is at once apparent by the fantastic display offeigning wounded and crippled birds indulged in by the parents to divertattention:

180. Stone Curlew, Thit:k Knee or Water Dikkop (Burhinus v.vermiculatus).-This odd-looking. species which frequents the dry shoresof .I),e Uganda lakes usually advertises its presence by its weird, plaintivecall, and it is particule.r1y noisy in brilliant moonlight. On Lake Vietoriait has a definite association with crocodiles, and where these loathsomemOl\sters breed there too will be found the nest of vermiculatus, the eggsoft~n lying on the ground within a few feet of a brooding saurian. AtRwensama (Lake Edward) a dikkop's eggs were found in the centre ofan old heap of elephant droppings; near Lake George e. dry buffalo "pat"was uset for a similar purpose.

181. Scandinavian Lesser Blaclv-backed Gull (Larus fuscur furcus).­On 2nd July an adult Larus fuscur fuscus was brought in' ?live nearBundibugyo, in Bwamba, western Toro, to a member of the Swedish EastMrican Expedition. As it was ill and weak it was turned into a scientificspecimen. On one leg it carried a ring which is referred to i~ paragraph194· ,

182. Gull-billed Tern (Gelochelidon ,nilott(4).-In August severalhundreds of this beautiful tern were seen at a l~goon at Rwensama on theKigezi shore of Lake Edward. It is possible that they may have beenbreeding ~ little earlier in this neighbourhood, but none was examinedfor sexual.activity.

183. Milky Eagle Owl (Bubo lacteus).-This huge owl breeds freelyin Entebbe and juveniles strong on the wing and capable of looking afterthemselves usually appear in November. In the Lake Edward, LakeGeorge arid Kazinga Channel area brooding birds have been seen on eggson top. of old hammer-head stork nests or in fish eagles' nests in JUly andAugust. A juvenile nearly ahle to fly was found in an old eagle's nest bythe Kyazanga dam on loth May..

184. Duck and Geere.-Duck were seasonally plent;ful on Kyazanga,Nabitanga, Namimbi, Kyebondogoto, Matete, Ntusi and Biwolobo damsin the Masaka District, on various dams ap.d l".kes in Ankole, in Busoga,and on the dams in the Teso and Lango Districts.

Spurwing geese were reported in large numbers in the neighbourhoodof Mugoya on Bugaba Island of the Sese group.

185. Black Bee-eater (l'Ifelittophagus gular;', australis).-Specimensof the black bee-eater, a species not hitherto recorded from Uganda, werecollected in Bwamba, western Toro, and in May this handsome specieswas observed to be nesting in the banks of some of the small streams whichare crosSl'd by the road to Bundibugyo.

186. HOnl!Y Guide (Indicator rpp.).-The Fisheries Officer who wasbil1eted at Kichwamba flotel reported that a honey guide, probably thelarge, black-throated species, came on several consecutive days to eat

,:;.

beeswax out of a cigarette tin which had been left otiti)_e~ Hegot snaps of the bird while it was perched on the edge of the tin, and withits head deep down in the tin. This record suggests that the hon8'f guidemay be pritnarily interested in eating the wax of a honeycomb, ,:!hich onewould imagine normally to be quite indigestible. But what is of exceptionalinterest is how the bird found the wax. The nearest tree was sorne distanceaway and the bird could not possibly have seen it; if it found it by scentthe bird must have quite an uncanny sense of smell! .:

187. At the end of the year, at Entebbe, the Game Warden noticeda scaly-throated honey guide (Indicator v. variegatus) eating the wax of anabandoned wild bees' comb right inside a wood shed.

188. Teso Golden-crowned Weaver (Ploceus spekeoides).-In the courseof working through the study collections at the British MUS<ll.lm (NaturalHistory) the authors of the most up-to-date text book on the birda ofEastern Mrica, at present only in the stage of compilation, ca~ acrossan undescribed large type of yellow weaver which had been collected manyyears ago at Nariam and Usuku in eastern Teso. It is a Golden-erownedform, closely related to Ploceus spekei, which the authors proposed to namePloceus spekeoides. The Department was asked to co-operate, as opportunityoffered, by colle.ting further specimens of this new weaver biId. A seniorfish guard, who is a trejned bird skinner, was instructed to try and collecta series 0; ~his we~.ver when he was sent in June to investigate the Tesodams. Quite unexpectedly he managed to proeure a fine series of bothmales .and females which sufficed to confirm that the suspected noveltywas in fact valid. These birds were found in sm'l11 colonies ')Ssociatedwith the slightly sm.ller species Ploceus h. heuglini, which P. spekeoidessomewhat redembles, and nesting invariably on trees right out in the waterof the dams. Although there was furious nest-building activity, egg-layinghad not started when the fish guard left the locality at the end of June.

189. when the Game Warden visited these dams in the latter partof November, none of these birds was seen although there were plenty ofabandoned nest colonies both in Teso and on some of the eastern Lango dams.

190. Masked If'eaver (Ploceus h. heuglini).-When collecting the newweaver P. spekeoides the opportunity was taken of obtaining a long seIiesof the closely associated and more plentiful P. heuglini, a species whichis poorly represented in the National collection. In eastern Teso egg­laying was commencing at the end of June. None was seen when theGame Warden visited the locality in the latter half of November.

I9I. Bwamba.-Several scientific expeditions have collected manyornithological novelties in the little explored Bwamba forest in .westernToro, thereby adding at least two dozen interesting and hithertouurecorded species to the Uganda list.

]92. Passing reference only is made to these discoveries which itis hoped will eventually be the subject of a special supplement of theUganda Journal. Let it suffice to mention that these noveltieo; includeseveral species of hornbills and fly-catchers, sunbirda, warblers,. chats,a roller, e. diminutive long-tailed starling, the lovely forest pigeon Columbaalbinucha and the lovebird Agapornis swinderiana.

Ring 1'0;0. Annual Reportreference

--~----I-<

R 4954 .'. (1935, para. 3°9) ... IR6187 (1936,page3 1 ) •••

R 3848 ('947, p'ge '9) ... ~

These three birds were .

193. Rw_ama.-TheGeorge and the Kazinganeighbourhood are all notedwhen it is claimed that onein this respect it must be r.Rwensama on the Kigezi sh,July, August and Septemberof birds in great variety have tto in the preceding .ornithologi,

194· Co-operation with 1were recovered from white < st,Scandinavian Lesser Black-b..Bwamba, western Toro, on 2n~

T7775 - parl

RtKS MUSEU¥ ~STOCKHOLM .

'-:J-

195. Since the last Reponmore white storks bearing ROSlbeen obtained, as follows:-

Ring No. Date ,BB 12284 ... 1938 or 1939

BB 11494 ... June or July,1939...BB 83 25 1936,1937 or 1938

B 66.86 28th or 29th June,1939

B 76008 ... 1940n 65658 ~ ... 1938 (two rings)n 65659B 65171 ... 1939 (two rings)B 73",,8

All these birds were ringed

196. The Rossitten bird 1

replaced by the new Radolfzell s

197. The following infonnof ViboIg, Denmark, concerning

•

.-."..~.__"01_ ..--- .

26

-

27

These three birds were ringed while still in the nest.

•

"Burgenland" part of Austria.

Locality where ringed

District of Cottbus, Province Brandenburg,Gem1any.

Pcovinee Oberschlesien, Upper Silesia, Germanv.Distriet of Stolp. Province Pommem, Pomerania,

Gennany.

1939 (two rings)

28th or 29th June,1939 ... District of Samland, East Prussia.

1940 Ortelsburg, East Prussia.1938 (two rings) ... District of Trebnitz, Silesia.

Date

1938 or 1939

June or jU!y,I939 ...1936, 1937 or 1938

Ring No. Annua~ Report Date Loeality where ringedreferenee

R4954 ... (1935, para. 309) ... 30-6-32 Askov, Vejen, S. Jutland, Denmark.R 6I87 ... (1936, page 31) ... ? " . Vejen Distriet, S. Jutland, Denmark.R 3848 ... (I947, page 29) .. June or July,

1937 ... Spanggaarde, 20 km. north ofViborg, N. Jutland, Denmark.

Ring No.

BB 12284

BB 11494BB 83 2 5 •

B 66286

B 76008B 65658 tB 65659B 65 17 1 ...B 73408

All these birds were ringed while still in the nest.

196. The Rossitten bird marking station of pre-war days has beenreplaced by the new Radolfzell station.

197. The following infonnation has been received from P. Skovgaardof Viborg, Denmark, concerning certain of his rings recovered in Uganda:-

,195. Since the last Report (vide paragraphs 176-177) details of seven

more white storks bearing Rossitten rings (recorded in 1947 Report) havebeen obtained, as follows:-

,.

193- RW8IlSama.-The sholes and swamps of Lake Edward, LakeGeorge and the Kazinga Channel, and the saline craters in thisneighbourhood are all noted fOI their varied and abundant bird life, sowhen it is claimed that one swampy lagoon of little extent is outstandingin this respect it must be realised that the bird life there is literally profuse.Rwensama on the Kigezi shore of Lake Edward is well worth a visit in

-July, August and September by any nature lover for its concentrationsof birds in great variety have to be seen to be believed. Some are Ieferredto in the preceding ornithological notes.

194. Co-operation with European Bird-il'larking Stations.-No nngswere recovered from white storks during the year. An example of theScandinavian Lesser Black-backed Gull (LaTUS f. juscus) was found III

Bwamba, western Toro, on 2nd July with a ring marked:-

T7775 Particulars of when and where this gull was

RIKS MUSEUIYI ringed have not yet been received.STOCKHOLM

:"'j..~¥~-"" f.".,....-~·.~"li . 7'

.""\<.

28

198. The following details have been received of W'\lite stotb andother species whose "Helgoland" rings have been recovered 4ocaJly ;unless otherwise stated all the birds concerned are white stork,,-

Ring No. Annual Report Date Locality where ringedreference

------.221 954- ... (1936. page 31) .. , 10--7-36 ... Oster-Ihlienworth, Hadeln,

Hanover, Gennany.227374- ... (1939, para. 74) .. 25-6-39 . .. Bergenhusen, Sehleswig, Schleswig-

Holstein, Germany.221175 .. (1947, page 27) ... 6-7-38 ... Wehrdex, Elsfleth, Oldenburg,

Gennany.222877 ... (1947, page 27) .. Records lost d uring the war.221 524 .. (194-7, page 27) ... 28-6-39 .. Kellinghusen, Steinburg,

Schleswig-Holstein, Gennany.218773 ... (1947, page 27) ... 2-7-39 Holzhausen, Osterburg, Magdeburg

on Elbe, Germany.31I 780 .. (1947, page 28) 24-6-"36 ... Leipzig, Saxony, Gennany.

Black kite.222769 ... (1947, page 28) 7--7-40 ... Salzendeieh, F.lsAeth, Oldenburg,

Germany.H 297 .. «(947. page 28) ... 2:;-6-39 ... Bremen on Weser, Germany.2217°9 ... (1947, page 29) ... 6-7-35 .. , Frischenmoor, Brake, Oldenburg,

Germany.H 352 (1947, page 29) ., 26-6-36 ... Arsten, Bremen on Weser, Germany229065 ... (1947, page 29) 5-7-45 ... Hergenhusen, Friedrichstadt,

Schleswig, Schleswig-Holstein,Germany. •

'99. These birds were either ringed in the nest or while stilljuveni1<;:

Ring No. 311780 when originally received was said to have comefrom a "black stork".

Ring No: 222769 is from a white stork ringed in the early part of thewar; ring 229065 is from one ringed in the latter part of the war.

H 352 is from a white stork which was 9t years old, and is the oldest, .bird from which a ring has so far been recovered in Uganda.

zoo. (i) Details of the ringing of Budapest 1[5597 (1937, page 29)are that it was ringed as a nestling at Komjati, N.E. Hungary, on 9-7-1935.

(ii) With reference to Paris Museum ring B 6723 (1947, page 28­No. 'l·in 10941 list), this white stork was ringed as a nestling in June, [940,at Bordy, Bou, Arreridy, Constantine, Algiers, North Africa.

(C) Reptiles

201. Python (Python sebae).-The python each year can be reliedon for a good story, and this time it is the Game Warden's wife who canprovide an experience which subsequently she had to record for anAmerican broadcast. . A well shaded heap of cattle manure is one ofa gardener's most cherished possessions, but it also has that nice wanntemperature beloved of reptiles for incubating their eggs. It is ratherterrifying to find coils of python instead of manure wherewithal tofertilise a garden, which was the lot of this luckless lady. The wretchedpython, which had to be shot· as it could not be captured, measured10 feet 3 inches.

.~. ~~~. ,. .

I

202. Pythons abound ~

and Kwania in the EasternIhave taken advantage of theit.Unfortunately, there is not ~

where these great reptiles a~

market and kill the trade, wiPythons up to a length of [diffieulty.

203. An eight feet pyth'Kazinga Channel near Katungwell and truly entangled.

204. Royal Python or j

a West African species whicUganda. The first authentic,whieh was obtained at Laufolbi9logist. Subsequently, anO!Semliki valley, at the forest edspecies which rarely attains a ~

or frightened it is apt to coil 1

popular name'.205. Scaphiophis albopu,

been given this harmless SFspade-like rostral, which prappropriately be called the");h,is not particularly common tCatholic Church at Budini, ne:biologist collected a fine examplare recorded from Serere amappe,r that this species whichmainly found in the drier eastel

206. Fatalities.-An Afri,at Katabi, just outside Entebbe,is believed to have been a puff ,

Human fatalities in Buaogtwenty-four.

207. General.-Snakes fothe Congo Beige, south westerKenya, the Coryndon Museunl

SECTIO

(A) n208. Rinderpest.-Acknowl

Veterinary Services for a res~

particular reference to game. .This disease was widesPre

where it spread to North Teao.north of Mount Elgon.

29

(A) Diseases of Game208. Rinderpest.-Acknowledgments are due to the Director of

Veterinary Services for a resume of the incidence of rinderpest withparticular reference to game.

This disease was widespread in game and cattle in Karamoja, fromwhere it spread to North Teso, and to a lesser extent to the Sebei plainsnorth of Mount Elgon.

SECTION IV.-GENERAL

. 202. Pythons abound along the swampy shores of Lakes Kyogaand Kwania in the Eastern Province, and some enterprising residents

. have taken advantage of their abundance to foster a trade in live pythons.Unfortunately, there is not an unlimited demand for live pythons, •.ndwhere these great reptiles are so plentiful it is soon possible to flood themarket and kill the trade, which was the inevitable fate of this venture.Pythons up to a length of 10 feet were caught and handled with littledifficulty.

2°3. An eight feet python was caugbt in ., five-inch mesh net in theKazinga Channel near Katunguru. In its struggles to free itself it becamewell and truly entangled.

204. Royal Python or Ball Python (Python regia).-This is re.Jlya West African species which only occurs along the western edge ofUganda. The first authenticated record of its occurrence is a specimenwhich was obtained at Laufori, in West Madi, by the elephant researchbirlogist. Subsequently, another reliable record was received from theSemliki valley, at the forest edge in Bwamba. The royal python is a smallspecies which rarely attains a size exceeding five feet. Wb"n first handledor frightened it is apt to coil tightly into a compact ball, hence one of itspopular names.

205. Scaphiophis albopunctatus.~No popular name seems 10 havebeen given this hannless species, though from its very pronouncedspade-like rostral, which produces an almost beak effect, it couldappropriately be called the shovel-headed snake. It is a burrower whichis not particularly common though plentiful in the foundations of theCatholic Church at Budini, near Kaliro in Busoga. The elephant researchbiolog~st collected a fine example at Laufori, in West Madi, Other specimensare recorded from Serere and Soroti, and from Lango, and it wouldappe.r that this species which normally reaches a length of 3 to 5 feet ismainly found in the drier eastern and northern parts of the Protectorate.

206. Fatalities.-An Mrican student at the Survey Training Schoolat Katabi, just outside Entebbe, died from snake bite. The snake concernedis believed to have been a puff adder.

Human fatalities in Busoga due to snake bite were reported to totaltwenty-four.

207. General.-Snakes for identification have been received fromthe Congo Belge, south western Sudan, Northern Rhodesia, Tanganyika,Kenya, the Coryndon Museum (Nairobi) and privale il\dividuals.

ived was said to have come

received of "'.te storks and"have been recovered toeally'd are white storks:- '

in the nest or while still

ringed in the early part of thelatter part of the war.

9! years old, and is the oldestovered in Uganda.

~.pest "5597 (1937, page 29)I, N.E. Hungary, on 9-7-1935.

ring B 6723 ('947, page 28­d as a nestling in June, '940,

lfll. North Mrica.

Locality where ringed

Al.

09ter-lhlienworth, Harlem,Hanover, Gennany.

.. Be~~> Schleswig, Schleswig-",,"!O.lAClII, Germany.

Wehrdex, ElsAeth, Oldenb",g" Gennany. '

. the war.J{e~. Steinburg~~-HolsteiD..chrmany.

_. U8e'I1, Osterburg, Magdeburg'0 on Elbe, Germany.teJp~•.Su:ony, Germany.

~~';ich) F.1sfleth, Oldenburg,.....-Lljlany•

.~onWeser, Germany.-~oorJ Brake, Oldenburg,

, y •. Btemenon Weser Germany

U8eD. Friedrichs~dt~.SchJeswig-HoI~teinGennany. '

ython. each year can be relied, Game Warden's wife who canIy she had to record for an.. of cattle manure is one ofmt it also has that nice warmrating their eggs. It is ratherid of manure wherewithal to~ luckless lady. The wretchedid not be captured, measured

(C) !'i

(B)

219. Crocodile :Yilins.found in paragraphs 415-4'

220. Game Skins.-Cof the activities of tsetse cparts of the Eastern Provi.and sell the skins of thedestructive specLe~.

61129

3°335°345

Tribalhunting

Hush buckBush pigWarthogWaterbuckHartebee-st

217. These ligures •contention freely expressec:with nets and spears is not

2 18. In the latter P'East Africa High Commiout investigations in theconnection with the carriatwo tsetse flies GlossiTUl mOl

221. Murchison FaliJcarried 821 passengers to 1excursion to the Falls has 1

incidents necessitating th~

buffalbes and a hippopotankilled in a few months thalthis trip.

These incidents were 1

that in some cases animalsthe Falls. This was neverReserve the visitors have to,dangerous to proceed the

• j216. Duly authon~

at the most favourable ~

tsetse control area. It ~of tribal hunting with tcontrol during the sameof which both methodsgreatest successes are witlthe larger, for instance the

In North Teso game were not observed to be infected with rinderpestbut buffalo, eland and warthog carcasses were found in Karamoja and onthe Sebei plains and Elgon foothills, such discoveries being closelyassociated in place and time with outbreaks of rinderpest in cattle.

209. Outbreaks of rinderpest also occurred in a few isolated herdsof cattle in the northern part of the West Nile District adjaoent to thesouthern Sudan, the infection having been introduced from the Sudanthrough the medium of game but fortunately, spread of the diseasesouthwards did not occur. No evidence, however, of infected game inthis District was found.

2 ro. For the past thirty years or more the rinderpest epizooticswhich have caused such havoc in Uganda have come from tlie north, andon the urgent representations of the Director of Veterinary Services asa result of this latest West Nile infection a scheme has been evolved inan endeavour to prevent future disease introductions from the north.spreading southwards.

211. Rinderpest C07l!"ere1lce.-In October, the Game Wardenattended an International Rinderpest Conference which was held atNairobi. One of the resolutions of this Conference recognised the urgencyof creating aseries of barriers to check the possibility of the southwardspread of rinderpest originating in the north. It was agre~d that theUganda-Sudan border is of primary importance in this respect, and, inconsequence, the Protectorate will endeavour to break the rinderpest linkwith the Sudan.

It will inevitably take several years to bring the necessary operationsto a suc~essful conclusion, but if in the end the success anticipated isachieved the saving in cattle losses and remedial expenses wilt beincalculable, and well worth the costs of the campaign, which s1tould notbe unduly heavy.

212.' What it is propoSed to do is to try and create a buffalo-freezone along the Uganda side of the border to a depth of twenty or thirtymiles, as this very susceptible species is there abundant.

At present it is not considered necessary to try and free this area ofall susceptible ungulates, as it is believed that the buffalo on account ofits numbers and wandering habits is the animal almost entirely responsiblefor the spread of the disease, but time alone will show that this assumptionis correct. "~;:

By the end of the year speciat'¥huffalo measures on a limited scalehad commenced. ., : .

2 13. Other Diseases.-No other diseases of game came to noticeduring the year.

214. Tsetse Control in connectiOT! with Game.-The Kigeziresettlement (vide paragraph .198, 1947) continues to make.good progress,and four game guards are still permanently employed in this area.

215. Tsetse control operations, which usually entail considerableinterference \vith game, have continued in Ankole, Buruli, Bugerere,Lango, Acholi and eastern Karamoja. Particular attention was paid bythe Department to the preservation of giraffe, black rhinoceros, the rareroan antelope and, to a certain extent, the Uganda kobo

30

(B) Economic Industries

219. Crocodile Skins.-Reference to the crocodile industry will befound in paragraphs 415-4'7.

220. Game Skins.-Considerable quantities of game skins, a resultof the activities of tsetse control have been disposed of to the trade. Inparts of the Eastern Province local traders are still permitted to purchaseand sell the skins of the common duiker, an abundant and particularlydestructive specie~.

216. Duly authorised organised tribal hunts have assisted considerablyat the most favourable season in evicting game from the Acholi-Langotsetse control area. It has been interesting to compare six months' resultsof tribal hunting with the achievements of the hunters shooting for tsetsecontrol during the same period. Generally, with the exception of buffaloof which both methods show an almmt identical bag, tribal hunting'sgreatest suceesses are with the smaller ungulates, and tsetse control withthe larger, for in.tance the following figures:-

217. These 'figures somewhat strikingly bear out this. Department'scontention freely expressed in the past that straightforward, tribal huntingwith nets and spears is not unduly destructive to the larger antelopes.

2 I 8. In the latter part of the year two research workers from theE~t Africa High Commission Tsetse Reclamation Service! were carryingout investigations in the Kibanda-Choepi region of eastern Bunyaro inconnection with the carriage and spread, primarily by elephants, of thetwo tsetse flies Glossina morsitans and G. pallidipes.

31

(C) Notes of General Interest

221. Murchison Falls Trip.~During 1948 the Railway steamerscarried 821 passengers to the Murchi;,on Falls. The increasingly popularexcursion to the Falls has this year bhn marred by a series of unfortunateincidents necessitating the killing of three truculent elephants, twobuffaloes and a hippopotamus. In fact more wild animals have had to bekilled in a few months than in the whole of the previous twenty years ofthis trip.

These incidents were carefully investigated and there is little doubtthat in some cases animals were shot in order to enable visitors to get tothe Falls. This was never intended, and the rule is that being a GameReserve the visitors have to give way to the wild life, and if it is considereddangerous to proceed the walk to the Falls has to be abandoned.

Tribal Tsetse Tribal Tsetsehunting Control hunting Control

-----Bush buck ... 6" 73 DUlker ... ... 1,01 I '°5Bush pig ... 29 Nil Oribi ... 894 363Warthog ... 3°3 17° Reedbuck '" 427 10OWaterbuck ... 35° ,88 Kob ... 188 617Hartebeest ... 345 I,:Z47

create a buffalo-freeof twenty or thirty

t.and free this area of

buffalo on account of> t entirely responsible

that this assumption

:.,,;u, Game.-The Kige~i.yes to make-good progress,

oyed in this area.usually entail considerable

'Ankole, Buruli, Bugerere,lar attention was paid by

, black rhinoceros, the rarekob:

. ·.measures on a limited scaleli'~j

iii- vi game came to notice

(A)

.-'I

SECTI'

(I) GENERAL

231. A second Fisheriescharge of Lake Albert arrivedyear acquiring local know\.Kazinga Channel region. ,

232. As previously, the a;to be concentrated on (a) thecontrol. The control staff has tof additional fish guards, bringiJ

233. Once again during 1

November, the usual vigorousfemale crocodiles on the Lak,a matter of routine that the ~

operations are entirely in theJJalways achieves good results.

(2) LEGISLATION

234. .During '948 the jNotices concerning the control)Game Ordinance and the Trout!

The following is a list ofLegal Notices Nos. 40, ~

The most important iten;in Legal Notice No. 252 whiiFishing Rules, 1947".

see off anyone who tried to .finally took refuge in the lake

229. Game Warden's Tl

tour and visits were paidexception of Arua, Moyomade to the Fisheries station ,lagoon, Lakes Edward and Gthe fish landings along the Land Mjanji, Were inspected 1)10

the Masaka, Teso and Langovisited included Bundibugy~

M utunda and Atura Port, LSerere, Lake Salisbury and t

230. Increased Costs.commodities and rising saIari,cost of the Department yearclothing are all much dearer.

,

32

.,;, ..

222. The African game guards who constitute the protective unitaccompanying the visitors have again been warned that their responsibilitytowards them does not include getting to the Falls at all costs. Further,a...~ it 'MlS considered that the path in the vicinity of the a.nchorage wasbecoming overgrown to a dangerous extent arrangements were made withthe Railway authorities to uf!.dertake the necessary clearing.

223. Complaints have been made by visitors who have seen woundedhippos in the river carrying in their bodies harpoon heads attached tolarge arnbatch floats, which is the work of poachen;. .

On one occasion every effort wal: made to free an unfortunatehippopotamus of this in..,;;.trument of" torture, but without avail, andeventually all that could be done was to cut adrift the tell-tale float.

224. Honorary Game Rangers.-Honorary Game Rangers appointedduring the year were Mr. 1,. St. C. Bartholomew, Mr. J. K. Marriott andMr. C. S. Wilson.

225. Game Conference.-In June the Game Warden attended aninformal Conference of East and Central African Game Wardens inNorthern Rhodesia, at Chilanga (near Lusaka), which is the headquartersof the Game, Fisheries and Tsetse Control Department of that territory,at which the Ea~t Mrica High Commission, Central Mrican Council andSouthern Rhodesia Game Department were also represented.' Theopportunity was taken of studying the progress made at Chilanga in fish

.culture, which though only in its initial stages has already achieved resultsof considerable importance.

226. Scientific and Filming Expeditions.-Amongst the numerousexpeditions Which, are visiting East Mrica in ever-increasing numbersand which ilicluded Ugarula in their itinerary were a Swedish NaturalScience Expedition; an Expedition from the University of California,including a Vnited States Naval Medical Science Group, which wasstudying the role played by shrews in the transmission of malaria; theGatti Expedition; a United States Mission, from the )lational ResearchCouncil of the Pacific Science Board, in quest of a parasite tu destroy thelarge East Mrican snail Achatina which has become an appalling pestsince its introduction by the Japanese into the Pacific regions; theElk-Combs (American) Expedition to film tribes and wild life; Mr. ArchObo1cr who was accumulating material for a series of topical broadcastsin America; Mr. and Mrs. Rogen;, to obtain documentary films andphotographs of local interest; and Mr. Wilson of Glasgow, collecting wildanimals for his private zoo.

227. Collecting Wild Animals for Zoos.-There have been severalenquiries from zoos, but generalJy collecting for zoos is discouraged. Asthere are no wild animal dealers in Uganda itinerant expeditions tryingto collect live animals are apt to foster an illegal and undesirable tradein protected species.

228. Recalcitrant Bull.-In November, the Department was calledupon to deal with a recalcitrant hull at the Entebbe lake-shore slaughterhouse. The bull not unnaturally decided to live longer and proceeded to

SECTION V.-FISHERIES

33

(A) Administration

,...

(I) GENERAL

23 L A second Fisheries Officer who is eventually destined to takecharge of Lake Albert arrived in August and spent the remainder of theyear acquiring local knowledge in the Lakes Edward and George, andKazinga Channel region.

232. As previously, the activities of the African fish guards continuedto be concentrated on (a) the compilation of statistics, and (b) generalcontrol. The control staff has been further augmented by the appointmentof additional fish guards, bringing the total to 36.

233. Once again during August, September, October and a part ofNovember, the usual vigorous campaign ha& been prosecuted against thefemale crocodiles on the Lake Victoria breeding grounds. It is nowa matter of routine that the arrangements for and the conduct of theseoperations are entirely in the hands of the African staff. This campaignalways achieves good results.

(2) LEGISLATION

2J4.. During 1918 the Fishing Rules, 1918, and various LegalNotices concerning the control of fishing were publi,hed by virtue of theGame Ordinance and the Trout Protection Ordinance.

The following is a list of the relevant Legal Notices:­Legal Notices Nos. 10, '90, 252, 259 and 260.

The most important item is "The Fishing Rules, '918", publishedin Legal Notice No. 252 which essentially amplify and strengthen "TheFishing Rules, '947".

see off anyone who tried to interfere with it. It refused to be caught andfinally took refuge in the lake, where it was shot.

229. Game Warden's TOUTs.-The Game Warden was constantly ontour and visits were paid to all Administrative headquarters, with theexception of Arua, Moyo and Moroto. In addition, several visits weremade to the Fisheries station at Kichwamba, as weB as to Katwc, Kaianjalagoon, Lakes Edward and George, and the Kazinga Channel. Most ofthe fish landings along the Lake Victoria ehore, including those at Jinjaand Mjanji, were inspected morc than oncc. A large number of dams inthe Masaka, Teso and Lango Districts were investigated. Other placesvisited included Bundibugyo (in Bwamba), Butiaba, Masindi PortMutunda and Atura Port, Lale and Bugondo (both on Lake Kyoga),Serere, Lake Salisbury and the Sebei region of Mt. Elgon.

230. Increased Costs.-The steadily increasing cOots of allcommodities and rising salaric& afC reflected in the progressively increasingcost of the Department year by year; in particular. rifles, ammunition andclothing are all much dearer.

. ·.bave been several.ill !Iiscournged. As

expeditions tryingundesirable trade

"lrtJl!lent was calledlake-shore slaughterr and proceeded to

_tinnie· the protective unit'that their responsibility'af 1111 costs. Further,-~;tbe anchorage was

."were made with

34

QUAN-rHms AND '1 Al...\JES OF 'FISHING NETS IMPOR1ED

,-

(1

JanuaryFebruaryMarch ­AprilMayJune .July .Au'!ustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember

Month

TOTAL

LAKE VICTORIA

246. Control.-As usualfishing regulations, CO-O'

(1)

the

...~'ji

244· In [947, a total of•.t £58,084. The average price£87: in 1947 it w", £40 per toi

245- (iv) Imported intoMahagi Por;..t: _

WeightMonth 1---

1

-­

Dried(salted) Sm(

-'-I~tons to!January 88 IJ

F,ebnl'ary 125 I I,March ... 156 21April... 76 :IiMay 144 2.

June 49 I •Jul~' ,.. (02 2.August 76 I'September ... 76 2J

October 102 a'No~'ember ... S7 3:December . ..l 100 . 3:

GRAND TOTALS ••. 1 ','51 .60

(ii) Railed for Export fl76 tons 140 lb. which t

242. Exported by Road;(a) To the Belgian Con(b) To the Belgian Congo,<-c) l'() t\\~ \\~\'5\"'~ c:..:,.

Quantities and values of drLake Edward and associated

243·£

58,839

Value

ewt.444

Quantity1---

Country of origin

United Kingdom

Table B.IMPORTS AND EXPORTS OF DRIED FISH

24t. (i) Handled by Railway Steamers:­(a) From Sese Islands and Kome:-

160 tons 707 lb. (of which all but 17 tons is from Sese), which isonly about two-thirds of the tonnage handled last year. This dropis probably due to the islands' fishetjllen having made their ownarrangements for transporting much of their dried fish to themainland.(b) From Tanganyika Territory:-

143 tons 528 lb. (of which all but 7 tons is from Bukoba), which isa drop of 37t per cent.Vide paragraph 224 (i) (b), 1947, it is probable that increasingquantities of fish are being conveyed overland from Bukoba.No dried fish was imported by rail from Kenya.(e) From Butiaba (Lake Albert) to the Belgian Congo:-

435 tons (approx.), which is an increase of 22[t tons, or more thandouble the 1947 figure.

(4)

There were no importations from other countrie~.

237. It is understood that some headway has been made with theestablishment of a flax-spinning and net-making factory on the Kenyaside of Mt. Elgon.

238. Priees.-Net prices continue to soar. In 1947 the average priceof imported nets per cwt. was £82, in 1948 it had risen to £132.

239. At the end of the year the retail price of the 5-inch net wasShs. 31/25 cents; of the 3-inch net Shs. 13/03 cents, and of the2t-inchnetShs. 13/94 cents, representing increases respectively of Shs. 2/tiJ cents,Sh. 1(09 cents and Sh. 1/42 cents. The cotton seine net, or "gogo",advanced slightly from Shs. 150 to Shs. 152.

240. The net shortage naturally promotes 2 brisk black market whichflourishes particularly in the Lake Edward region.

Large q\lantities of small mesh nets to meet requirements at LakeKijanebalola are hand produced loeally ou~ of cotton thread.

A certain number of five-inch nets are home-made in the SeseIslands.

(3) NETS235. Supplws.-A general shortage of all types of nets has continued.

This is sca[cely surprising as only 444 cwl. (1,[42 ewl. in 1947) of fishingnets were imported, a decrease of 61 per cent. on last year.

~6. ~~~

_______---- "":_-_..,._.--.--,-.-_._____ 4 ¥. ,:tI'·~;;"X:::Lt.'::y?'•

2,649of

h. d.

Month Weight Value

Kilos FrancsJanuary ... ... 24,21 3 269,721February ... ... 20,15 1 25 8,946March ... ... 24,397 355,850April ... ... 24,69° 33°,535May '" ... 38,739 4 15,794June ... . .. ... 26,981 269,810July ... ... ... 54,222 526,8°3Au!=!:ust ... ... 64,3 27 643,134September ... ... 4 0 ,629 376,161October ... ... 55,°49 4 64,349November ... ... 57,639 5 17,3 15December ... ... 90 ,1 84 81 5,44°

TOTAL ... 521 ,22] 5,223,858 =£3(a pprox. 52J tons) (calculated at the rate

eight francs to S

(B) Economic

35

(ii) Railed for Export from Mainland Ports and Railway Stations:-76 tons '40 lb. which is 56 per cent. decrease on r947.

242. Exported by Road:-(a) To the Belgian Congo, through the Kisoro Customs Post-Nil.(b) To the Belgian Congo, through the Vurra Customs Post-Nil.(e) To the Belgi.n Congo, 'through the Mpondwe Customs Post.­

Quantities and values of dried (salted) and smoked fish exported fromLake Edward and aswciated fisheries:-

243·

(r) LAKE VICTORrA

246. Control.-As usml the collection of data, the enforcement ofthe fishing regulations, co-operation with sleeping sickness control, and

244. In r947, a total of 1,368 tons was exported which was valueda.t £58,,,84, The average price per ton of salted fish is £50 and of smoked£87: in '947 it was £40 per ton for salted and £76 for sm<lked.

245. (iv) Imported into the Belgian Congo from Lake Albert viaMahagi Port:-

Weight ValueMonth ----- ------ TOTAL TOTAL

Dried Dried(salted) Smoked (salted) Smoked

~ .._--_.__ .....-tOllS tons tOllS £ £ £

January ... 88 '0 98 4,3+8 745 5,°93February ... 125 '9 '44 6,361 1,659 8,020

March ... ... '56 22 '78 7,826 ],947 9.773April ... ... 76 u 87 4,020 949 4,969May ... .. , '44 ., ,65 7,064 1,880 8,944June ... ... 49 25 74 2,460 2,d)8 4,648July ... ... '02 23 125 5,280

I

2,057 7,337August ... 76 '9 95 4,090 1,723 5,81 3September .. , 76 20 96 4,127 1,809 5,936October ... ,"2 20 '22 5,3°0 I,7~6 7,016November

::1-,,:::32 89 2,8:l3 2,778 5,631

December 38 138 4,988 3,114 8,102..

GRAND TOTALS 260 ],4 11 58,7 17 22,565 81,282

. In r947 the average pricehad risen to £132.p~ of the 5-inch net wascenlB, and of the 2!-inch net

ively of Shs. 2/88 cents,on seine net, or "gogo" 1

a brisk black market whichn.meet requirements at Lake

colton thread.e home-made in the Sese

Table B.

Fountrie8.

!way has been made with theinaking factory on the Kenya

tons is from Sese), which isIaDdled last year. This dropIDOO having made their ownof their dried fisb to the

NG NETS IMPORTED

ons is from Bukoba), which is

types of nets has continued.(1,142 CWl. in '947) of fishing

~.t. on last year.I Table A.

is probable that increasingland from Bukoba.<mya.

'an Congo:-of 221 I tons, or more than

~. Quantity Valuer---fi cwt. £

444 58,839

--,

Ngege~

SemutunduKasulubanaKi~inja

MaleMambaMpongo

The 1948 results based on 25 dimprovement in the llgege and anca'ch. The 1948 average catch pia fraction better than in the previolbetter being 3' 9 as compared with:

258. Fis/ling Effort.-In 1948a total of ,,856 fishing days at thin a total catch of 426,505 ngege.

In t947, the respective figuretindieate a considerable increase ill;of nets fished per day is 98, a malThe average number of ngege cau@lower (in 1947 it was 2·6).

~

,.,.34,8[93 1 ,934

Nets

273248

DaysYear

19471948

There is little difference infigures.

254. During 1948 no check!!landed at NakiyeJDe.

Small mesh nets were againfrom this landing during a tolaiwere used.

255. Average weight of ng,economic species calculated flprincipal fish landings (exceptingto the Sese Islands was I' 49 Ib35 I ,078 ngege. This is ao appr~

! .56 lb. though slightly better tlat the eight principal landings sh~

total. At Masese (linj•.) 123,035and at the four principal Sesrespectively !·461b., 1·47Ih. (app

256. Average size of ngege..,were taken at various times of theKaziru and Bukakata, and no .mde

257. Jinja Catches.-The c<

'947 and 19+8 are as follow:-

36

the annual campaign against the breeding crocodiles, have constitutedthe principal activities of the Lake Victoria fish guards.

Once again the effort and the industry have been affected by thecontinued net shortage.

247. Vide paragraph 239, the price of nets ill" again risen, and the"Red Hand" five-inch mesh flax gill-net which cost Shs. 28/37 cents when1947 closed, was at the end of 1948 selling at Shs. 31/25 cents.

In view of the progressively advaneing net prices-flax gill-nets are nowtwo-and-a-half times pre-war costs-the fisherman is justified in demandinghigher, but not unreasonable, prices for his catch, and naturally he willtake advantage of a public which is prepared to pay unduly inflated prices.

248. There has been some falling off in the quality of the ngege,as the average weight is I' 49 Ih., which compares unfavourably with the1947 average of I' 56 lb.

249. Breaches of Game Laws.-Breaches of fishing regulations havenot been numerous, those which have been detected being of a minornature and principally coneerned with infringements of mesh size andfishing in prohibited waters-which is in fact an offenee against theSleeping Sickness r~gulations.

250. Lake Victoria Fishen'es Board.-Considerable progress> hasbeen made with the formation of the actual Lake Victoria Fisheries Serviceand in the middlc of the year a Chief Fisheries Officer, who is also theExecutive Officer of the Board, was appointed: his headquarters are atMwanza. At the end of the year there arrived a second Fisheries Officer,who had been recruited and trained in the United Kingdom: for the timebeing he has bero posted to M wanza.

25 I. In December, a plenary meeting of the Lake Victoria Fisherie~

Board, which was attended by the Game Warden, was held at Mwanza.l\tluch pre1imin~y organisat,ion, however, remains to be done, and seriousinvestigations and development must await the arriv.l of suitable-launches.

252. Nakiyenje Basic Landing.-Stati.tics were collected at NakiyeJDelanding on the Entebbe peninsula on 291 (303 in 1947) days, during whichperiod a total of 52,805 five-inch mesh gill-nets (approximately 181 perday) was set, being 11,421 more than last year, and approximating nearerto, though about 3,000 in excess of 1946 figures. 106,036 fish weighing'95,921 lb. (approximately 80 tons) were caught as compared with the1947 figures respectively of 64,7°1 fish and 142,605 lb.

An average of two fish per net set was caught which i. a markedimprovement on last year's aver•.ge of I' 5. The average weight of ngegeworks out at I' 47 lb. which is a .light decline on last year's figure of I' 5 lb.The increase in effort, notwithstanding the difficulty in obtaining adequatesupplies of nets, is very welcome. The ngege-totalling 7',410­constitute 67 per cent. of the catch, and are more than twice the numberlanded in '947. The daily equivalent is approximately 245 ngege.

253. The average weights of the principal species taken in thefive-inch nets were:-

,..-

. ,

In 1947

lbs.(I' 5)(3- zapprox.)(2)(3'35)(5' 5)(7)(just over 1 lb.)

lbs_1 '473'2nearly z3"55nearly 7just over [ lb.

Ngege"SemutunduKasulubanaKisinja~lale

Mambat\.lpongo

Year Days Nets Ngege Semutundu Kasulubana Kisinja------- -_.------- ,-

1947 ... 273 34,81 9 IZ3,09° 10,°44 11,144 z,ooS1948 ... 248 31,934 IZ3,035 11,9°9 4,°3 1 1, lz9

There is little difference in these average weights from the 1947figures.

254. During 1948 no chech have been taken of the size of the ngegelanded at Nakiyenje.

Small' mesh nets were again in short supply, and only 625 were fishedfrom this landing during a tOlal of 29 days: in [947. during 40 days 960were used.

255.' Average weight of ngege.-The average weight of this importantcconomic species calculated from the statistics collected at the eightprincipal fish landings (excepting Nakiyenje) in Lake Victoria, from Jinjato the Sese Islands was 1'49 lb., e.g. just under It lb. and is based on351,078 ngege. This is an appreciable decline on last year's average ofl' 56 lb. though slightly better than 1'46 lb. in 1946. The ngege catchat the eight principal landings shows an increase of 135,[24 over the 1947total. At Masese (Jinja) [23.035 ngege averaged 1'48 lb. approximately;and at the four principal Sese landings the average weights wererespectively 1'46 lb., 1'47 lb. (approx.), l' 5 lb. and [. 5 lb.

.56. Average size of ngege.-Several checks on the length of ngegewere taken at various times of the year at Masese (Jinj~), Mjanji, Katebo,Kniru and Bukakata, and no undersized fish were found.

257. Jinja Catches.-The comparative Jinja (Masese) catches for1947 and 1948 are as follow:-

37

The 1948 results based on 25 days less than in 1947 show a slightimprovement in the ngege and an appreciable inere:;!s\:: in the semutunduca~ch. The 1948 average catch per net set is 4' 5 which is once againa fraction better than in the previous year. The average ngege catch is alsobetter being 3' 9 as compared with 3' 5·

258. Fishing Effort.-In 1948, a total of 181,475 nets was set duringa total of 1,856 fishing days at the fourteen principal landings, resultingin a total catch of 426,505 ngege.

In 1947, the respective figures were 111,133--1,418-291,9°4, whichindicate a considerable increase in effort in 1948. The average numberof nets fished per day is 98, a marked rise over last year when it was 78.The average number of ngege caught per net set is 2' 3, which is a littlelower (in 1947 it was 2·6). .

hes of fishing regulations havedetected being of a minor

ringernents of mesh size and,,!aet an offence against the

.' -Considerable progress hase Victoria Fisheries Service. Officer; who is also the

: his headquarters are at.., a second Fisheries Officer,.~ Kingdom: for the time

crocodiles, have constituted.a fish guards.

ustry have been affected by the

• of nets has again risen, and thewhich cost Shs. 28/37 cents when'

at Shs. 31/25 cents.net prices-flax gill-nets are now

sh~rman is justified in demanding

rhlS catch, and naturally he willed to pay unduly inflated prices.

off in the quality of the ngege,compares unfavourably with the

i

!;l~- '.- .'

:Gf.the Lake Victoria Fisherie£atden, was held at M wanza.

to be done, and seriousarrival of suitable launches.

.were collected at NakiyenjeIII 1947) days, during which

'. (approximately 181 per_:' " , ~d approximating nearer

~.figures. 106,036 fish weighing: caught as compared with the142,605 lb.

- caught which i. a marked5· .The average weight of ngege. on last year's figure of l' 5 lb.

difficulty in obtaining adequatehe ngege-totalling 71 ,410­

more than twice the numberoximately 245 ngege.

. cipal species taken in the

38

259. Kagera River.-Ningu catches, with the 3-inch or 3t-inchmesh gill-nets, at and in the vicinity of the mouth of the River Kageraare as follow:-

264. Value of thecomputation at the existingthe fishing industry in the£65,000,

265. Boat Building.considerable progress at theessential improvements bomin the latest models. By t

construction or test. The geminexpensi,ve fishing craft so <IIcapabilities of Mrican CraftSIIII

266. Although local inland although much lip .ervimade to evolve a suitableof these vessels is put into thethe vessels demonstrated ha'to the point no MIican want.propulsion. Sails are the sumost of the local fisherfolk atrue that they do not want to ~

267. The modified pattAiis being developed is a twen1square transom. One has beelLake Victoria, for several montfor demonstration on Lake ElI.

268. The last mentioneamazement of the onlooker.! I

confounding the local critics ,only blow along with the pfeva

The possibilities of this I

local Chief and representativewhom seemed keenly aware 0

however, wanted it to be powelAlthough this boat, whi

Administration, was receivedno attempt to use it was madeat the end of the year it was lYQ

269. Another vessel is ojstern, e.g. a double-ender, as (]is similar in appearance to thbelieved that it may have grea1after the construction of this dwith a square transom was see1out these Usembo Bay patterna fixed Diesel power unit.

270. An ex-pupil of ~School from Fort Portal for Slin, and in one case supervis, .

5Nil20

5°.60SO10

Increase in centssince 1947

--

Nil(Previously 4 for 20 cents)

Nil(Previously 3 for 20 cents)

Increase in centssince 1947

25202020

° 7.1, SO° 4°I 30I 50

I 30

° 60

Cents

Shs. cts.

... 5 for

... 2 for

NinguNzereNkejeNsoga

Ngege.Semutundu...Kasulub?onaKisinjaMaleMambaMpongo

The average weight of these ningu is approximately 0'95 lb.

260. In '947, 40,028 nets set in a fishing period of 350 days caught737,687 ningu which was the best for many years. The small catch in '948does not necessarily indicate a declining industry, and is directly relatedto a big reduction in the number of fishing days, as well as to almost halfthe number of nets, compared with '947, being fished, The decline ineffort is undoubtedly due to the difficulty in obtaining adequa'.e suppliesof small mesh nete. The average catch of nine ningu per net is still low.

261. Dried Fish.-Approximately 45 tons of dried fish were weighedby the fish guirds at various landings. It was mainly semutundu, with•a considerable proportion of ngege and kasulubana, o.nd a goodly qU"-'ltityof ningu. With the exception of ,1 ton from Kome and! ton from Sese,it .Jl came from Buvuma.

262. Prices.-Prices of fresh fish continue to rise, and so long asthe price of nets continues to increase this is unavoidable.

The average wholesale prices at Nakiyenje were :­I

Landing Days Nets Ningu Weight~----------------- ----------------I\.1asangano .. , ... ... 75 4,133 39,254 35,852Mubanzi ... ... 77 5, 184 .18,972 54,886Igoma ... ... ... 65 7,025 $2,43 I 5 1 ,310Kyasa ... ... .. . .19 6,384 49,61$ 48,077

---------- -----_.-TOTALS ... 276 22,726 200,279 11)0, 125

:::.=

Some of these increases appear to be unduly high, and those ranging{rom 50 per cent. to as much as 75 per cent. are scarcely justifiable thoughevidently approved by the Mrican members of the com'llunity who areready to pay these inflated prices.

263. Nakiyenje prices for the smaller species were:-I I

39

264. Value of the Lake Victoria Fishing Industry.-A roughcomputation at the existing high prices suggests that the total value ofthe fishing industry in the Uganda waters of Lake Victoria i, at least£65,000.

265. Boat Building.-Experimental .boat building has madeconsiderable progress at the Kampala Technical School where all the timeessential improvements born of past experience are being incorporatedin the latest models. By the end of the year five boats were underconstruction or test. The general plan is to produce a simple, comparativelyinexpensive fishing craft so designed that construction shall be within thecapabilities of Mrican craftsmen working amongst their own people.

266. Although local interest in these experiments has increasedand although much lip service has been paid to the efforts which are beingmade to evolve a suitable type of craft, the practical test comes when oneof these vessels is put into the water and demonstrated. So far, unfortunately,the vessels demonstrated have proved a drug on the market; when it comesto the point no Mrican wants them, unless they are fitted with mechanicalpropulsion. Sails are the subject of destructive criticism; it is true that,most of the local fisherfolk are ignorant of the use of sails, but it is equallytrue that they do not want to try to learn how to use them.

267. The modified pattern Usembo Bay type of fishing boat whichis being developed is a twenty foot, hard chine, carvel built, craft withsquare transom. One has been demonstrated at Kazi, on Murchison Bay,Lake Victoria, for several months, and another, in June) was taken to Katwefor demonstration on Lake Edward.

268. The last mentioned wa, used with sail and much to theamazement of the onlookers and critics travelled •.gainst the wind thusconfounding the local critics who had declared that a ·sailing boat couldonly blow along with the prevailing breeze.

The possibilities of this craft were discussed in full detail with thelocal Chief and representatives of the Baganda Fishing Company, all ofwhom seemed keenly aware of its advantages. The business fraternity,however, wanted it to be powered with an outboard motor.

Although this boat, which had been purchased by the NativeAdminis1ratioD, was received with some enthusiasm by the fishermenno attempt to use it was made once the European instructor had left, andat the end of the year it was lying derelict at Katwe.

269. Another vessel is of the same gener.] design., but has a canoestern, e.g. a double-ender, as opposed to the square tran,om type. Thisis similar in appearance to the traditional Sese fishing canoe, and it isbelieved that it may have greater appeal to the African fishermen. Shortly.after the construction of this double-ender had commenced, a Sese canoewith a square transom was seen at Port Bell! The intention is also to tryout these Usembo Bay pattern craft with outboard motors, and also witha fixed Diesel power unit.

270. An ex-pupil of the Technical School was returned to theSchool from Fort Portal for special instruction, and after having assistedin, and in one case supervised, the building of two boats, he was sent back,

Weight

and so long as

Ningu

were:-

Nets

NfL'050.6050(0

'species were:-

Nilreviously 4 for 20 cents)

Nilreviously 3 for 20 cents)

Increase in centssince 1947

unduly high, and those rangingrt. are scarcely wstifiable thoughoers of the com':Ilunity who are

Increase in centssince 1947

-------------

, with the 3-inch or 3!-inchthe mouth of the River Kao-era

o

4. 133 39,z.H 35,8525, 184 58,979 54,886

, 7,025 52,431 5 1 ,3 10l~·384 49.61 5 48,077

r 22---;;;6 - 200,279 - -~~125 ­I,t "::.-=flpproximately o' 95 lb.

~hing period of 350 days caught~ years. The small catch in 1948'mdustry, and is directly relatedng days, as well as to almost halfrI, being fished. Th~ decline in!y in obtaining adequa\e suppliesnine mngu per net is still low.i to,," of dried fish were weighedI It was mainly semutundu, with

lubana, and a goodly quantityKame and i ton from Sese,

Although the Lake Albert Fisheries Officer arrived from the UnitedKingdom in early August, he was for various re"ons posted to Kichwambain the Lake Edward region until the end of the year.

278. Vide 263, 1947 Report, Uganda Lakes Ltd., which had beenoperating for about a year in Lake Albert and employing as its agentsa trio of Cypriots, at the end of the year disposed of its interests to thenewly formed Uganda Fish Marketing Corporation, who in its tumcontinued to employ this trio, styling themselves Kefreru, and with whomthe necessary agreement was made.

279. Although difficult to assess with any degree of accuracy it isknown that the Lake Albert fisheries are of considerable value andimportance, and the export trade to the Congo is extensive. Videparagraph 245, 521 tons of dried fish of Uganda origin, valued at £32,649,passed through the Belgian Customs Post at Mahagi, during the year.The total value of this industry may, however, be double this amount.

280. Cotton ,eason prices are usually the best, during the periodJanuary to April, and prices paid at Mahagi for a 44 lb. bundle of drysalted fish in February, March and April were respectively Shs. 30,Shs. 33 and Shs. 30, though it was reported in March that a price of asmuch as Shs. 37 per bundle had been paid by some buyers. The averageprice paid per ton of dried salted fish was approximately £6].'

281. The fisheries generally continue to flourish, and a reportedscarcity of mpoi, a periodical complaint, may be due to adverse waterconditions in the normal fishing grounds. .

282. Early in the year during the dry s~ason, when the region ismost '\ccessible the possibility was examined of establishing a fishingsettlement on the Toro shore of Lake Albert. There had been severalapplications on the part of Africans who had never even visited thelocality, for permission to fish there.

In the dry weather this locality is accessible by lorry, but for eightmonths of the year, except by water, it can only be reached on foot aftera fifteen miles journey through water-logged country. Open water cannotbe seen from the proposed site, and before the lake is reached one has totraverse tortuous channels through swamps infesced with myriads ofmosquitoes. Moreover, there is a lack of building materials and firewood.Good canoes, suitable for fishing in open waters, can be obtained fromKasenyi (Congo Beige) for Shs. 300 to Shs. 400 each.

Owing to its remoteness combined with numerous other disadvantagesit has been decided, at least for the present, not to pursue this proposition.

283. A small fishery, however, is carried on profitably in thisneighbourhood along the Semliki river, and owing to the shortage oflocally produced food, high prices are obtained for smoked or fresh fish.Ngege are sold for 30 cents, semutundu for Sh. 1/50 cents, and other largefish may fetch as much as Shs. 6.

The stinking "fresh" fish trade between this region and Bwambahas to be smelt to be believed!

284- The West Nile fishing industry based on Panyamur, at thenorth western extremity of Lake Albert, continues to flourish. After the

41

..

E

tded by the fish guards, wili bItt. -

Table C

ING LICENCES ISSUED ON LAK

~ceDceB Revenue collected

£ ,.,324 332 8,234 223 8

~,558 555 ,6

t 428 42 ,6, 370 37 aI

798 79 ,6

1),356 635 I2

! of the catches of the five-inchtas Well as the weight of dried

e

r·

who is nearing completion of'alising in this type of boat

. . ding business of his own inlome local finn or the NativeiIthe part. of Technical School!"u:"" .to JOIn the boat buildingilt III Improved types of fishingion of the potentialities of the

Mengo and Masaka Districtsf 1,002 (830 in 1947).

:)"",sible to attempt any direct

boat building for the Nativehas not been fulfilled.of canoe pattern, for paddle

ve been specially designed foran alternative to the dug-out.y are accorded by. the local

~ increase, approximately 39:hing licences taken out in thean equivalent increase in thelcouraging.8 have prevented any increase

,<.c

295. Average weight of:-

effort. Unfortunately'nets has interfered seriouslyCongo is only 43 tons more t

292. TABLE OF CATCHES:

I

4J2,83

Kat

Katl

,294. AvrRAGES:-

Average number of nets per day '.' 40Ayerage number of ngege landed

per day... 2..587Average total weight of ngege

landed per d:'ly ... ... 4,J32-(near.

A\'erage ngege catch per net set ... 64 0 3,

•Species Katunguru

No. Ii».Ngege ... ... 92.1,063 -I,5~.1

Semutundu .. 25,2 19 II6,6.Kasulubana ... 347 '.'"Kisinja ... II,all; 2.-9,1 .Male .. 2.-,42) 18,01Mamba .-. 7,279 59.5"Ningu .. , ... 6

Total nets set ... l"h337 .m'(and 62,242.hooksJ

Total days fished ... 356

293. The total catch Q1lsemutundu (mainly), male and...i

Tot~l number Toof predators of]

, ---

290 ,276 I,

NgegeSemutunduKasulubana '.0

KisinjaMale

, MambaNingu

(3) LAKE EDWARD AND ASSOCIATED FISHERIES

288. Fish guards are stationed pennanently at Katwe, Katunguruand Kaianja for the purpose of collecting statistics and for control. Asenior fish guard and another are allotted to the Fisheries Officer atKichwamba, and, in addition, there are two more available for itinerantvisits to Lake George. It has been found necessary to engage a fish guardespecially to collect statistics on the Toro side of the Kazinga Channel,at Katunguru, owing to the magnitude of the catches now landed there.

289. Owing to exasperating delays on the part of the contractorthe Fisheries Officer's house, which has a magnificent commanding siteat Kichwamha overlooking the rift valley, was unfinished at the end ofthe year.

290. Control, despite the allocation of a launch for the 'Ole use ofthe Fisheries Officer, has not been satisfactory in so far as Lake Georgeis concerned l where organised poaching on an inunense scale hasdeveloped.

Even large organised raids have had little effect except to put outof commission temporarily some of the illegal fishing camps. Poachingis much too profitable for any temporary action to act as an effectivedeterrent. The catches per net in Lake George are incredibly high; onecanoe in a month can catch at least £roc worth of fish; and smoked fishsold to the Congo finds ready buyers at £90 per ton.

291. As usuaJ l the major -portion, amounting to I,4II tons, of thecatches from this well-stocked region h.., been exported dried (salted)and smoked to the Belgian Congo where there is still no slackening ofdemand and where once again rising p~ices are an incentive to increased

42

Congo SHUN Company ceased to collect fish from this region by motorboat, the fisherfolk had perforce once again to take the dried commodityby dugout to Mahagi Port for disposal at the fortnightly market. Inconsequence the fishennen .pent most of the money realised in the Congoinstead of in Uganda.

285. At Mahagi Port there are at least ten independent buyers'whobuy several hundreds of tons of dried fish per annum, mainly from theUganda Mricans of Jonam and Bagungu. Nonnally, about 8h. I per kilo(or 45 cents per lb.) is paid for this dried (salted) fish, but during the periodNovember to February prices usually rise to Sh. 1/50 cents per kilo (or68 cents per lb.).

At Nioka (Congo) m~rket inland the price is 16 francs per kilo(85 cents per lb.) and at Bunia 19 franc. per kilo (8h. 1 per lb.).

286. At the end of the year there was in process of fonnation inMadi a company~not then registered-to conduct large scale fishingoperations in the Nile in order to supply Gulu with fresh and dried fish.

287. At Ndaiga at the south eastern end of Lake Albert in theMubende District, fOUf of the Mrican inhabitants are conducting a smallfishery to provide fish for local consumption. Various applications fromnon-natives and other immigrants to exploit the Ndaiga fishery have peenrefused.

...

Kaianja

536

818 lbs.(a little over

i ton)4 (per basket)

137·7 (baskets)

Total weight

Katwe

8,047l Ibs.(a little over

3l tons)14· I

Ibs.1,387,812

4°

Katungucu

Total weightof predators

4,332 lbs.(nearly 2 tons)

295. Average weight of:-

Average ngege catch per net set

Average number of nets per day ...A ....erage number of ngege landed

per daY ... ' ..Average'total weight of ngege

landed per day

Total numberof predators

294. AVERAGES:-

293. The total catch of the principal predatory species, e.g.semutundu (mainly), male and mamba was :-

43

Katunguru Katwe Kaianja

lbs, lbs. lbs.Ngege ... ... .. , 1 ·67 1·68 I ·5 J

Semutundu ... ... ... 4. 6 4'45 4- ,Kasulubana ... '" ... 3. 64 3. 2 3 '"

Kisinja ... ... ... 2.46 2,8, 3-3Male ... ... ... 7'8 7'2 7'7Mamba ... ... .-. 8'2 9'2 8· •Ningu ... ... ... 3'3 3' 1 ...

effort. Unfortunately a continued shortage of the necessary five-inchnets has interfered seriously with the effort and the export total to theCongo is only 43 tons more than in '947.

292. TABLE OF CATCHES:-

Species I Katunguru Katwe Kaianja~----~--~-----------

INo. lbs. No. Ibs.No. lbs.

Ngege ... ... 921 ,063 1,542,199 1,732,937 2,913,186 193,937 296, [19Semutundu ... 25.21 9 I 16,624 238 ,429 1,060,792 95 392Kasulubana ... 347 1,263 661 2,137 .-. ...Kisinja ... I I ,819 29. 14° 5J,567 153,742 13 43Male ... 2,423 IB,991 5,277 37,021 440 3,379Mamba .. - 7,279 59.541 9.779 9 0 ,080 1,335 10,806Ningu ... 6 20 137 442 -_. ...

---. - --Total nets set ._. 1+,337 122,5 11 ...

(and 62,24z hooks) (and 54,610 hooks) (and 917 hooks)(and 4,339 baskets) (and 49,864 baskets)

----~------

Total days fished ... 356 362 362

from this region by motorto take the dried commoditythe fortnightly market. Inmoney realised in the Congo

little effect except to put outlegal fishing camps. Poaching

action to act as an effective:Corge are incredibly high; oneworth of fish; and smoked fishper ton.

Iounting to 1,4" tons, of thebeen exported dried (salted)

there is still no slackening of5 are an incentive to increased

t ten independent buyers whoper annum, mainly from the

-onnally, about Sh. 1 per kiloed) fish, but during the period

,'to Sh. 1/50 cents per kilo (or

~ price is 16 francs per kilorkilo (SiL 1 per lb.).in process of formation in

o cOnduct large scale fishingu with fresh and dried fish.

end of Lake Albert in the.\"Ilts are conducting a small.-Various applications from

the Ndaiga fishery have been

ently at Katwe, Katungurustatistics and for control. A

to the Fisheries Officer ato more available for itinerantressary to engage a fish guard

, side of the Razinga Channel,le catches now landed there.on the part of the contractor• magnificent commanding site

was unfinished at the end of

i a launch for the sole use of~ory in so far as Lake Georger on an immense scale has

•

44

296. The total tonnages caught at Katunguru and Katwe are:-

At Kaianja

tDns to",Ngege ... ... 1,989 132 '2Sp,mutundu .. , .'i 2 5· 6 0'13Kasulubana .. , I'S ...Kisinja .. , ... 81. -6 ...Male ... 25 I"Mamba ... ,,' 67 4. 8

'fOTAL 2,689"7 138 -63(in baskets)

297. The total tonnage of the principal predators semutundu(mainly), male and mamba is:-

-----,------Katunguru and Katwe I Kaianja

tons I tons613"5 6·1. (majnlymamba)

298. Compa,ing '9+8 figures with those of '947:-(i) 53,23!r more ngege were caught at Katunguru, an inc~e""e of

6 per cent. (total nets set show an increase of 16 per cent.); and 56,031more at Katwe, an increase of 3 per cen\. (net increase 46t per cen\.).

(ii) There has been a 33 per cent. increase in the numbers ofpredators caught, and a 50 per cent. increase in total weight.

(iii) The nets set per day at Katunguru show little change-fo in'948 and '\0' 3 in '9+7; at Katwe 63 more nets per day have been setindicating an increase of 23 per cent.

(iv) There has been a drop of just over 43 per cent. in the dailyaverage of !,>askets set at Kaianja, but the average ngege catch per baskethas again increased, from 2' 27 to 4.

(v) The average catch of 64'3 ngege per net at Katunguru is 6'3less, and the '4' I at Katwe is a marked decrease on the '947 figure of 20.

299·(vi) Average weights of the various species show:-(a) A slight increase in the ngege at Katunguru, from 1·6+ in '947

to 1·67; an increase at Katwe from I' 55 to l' 68 j and an increase atKaianja from ,.4 to ,. 51.

(b) A rise in the semutundu both at Katunguru (from +'45 to +' 6)and Katwe (3.85 to 4' 45)·

(e) A decrease in the male at Katunguru (from 8, 5 to 7' 8), anda slight increase at Katwe (from 7 to 7'2).

(d) A drop in the mamba at Katunguru (from 8'7 to 8'2); anappreciable rise at Katwe (from 8'36 to 9'2); and also an appreciablerise at Kaianja (from 7' 3 to 8· ,).

(e) A decline in the kisirtja at Katunguru (from 2' 55 to 2'46), andan increase at Katwe (from 2·68 to 2·87).

1300• j(vii) The total nets

cent. but there is not an eq(viii) At Katwe there i~

nets, but a very marked dOl(ix) At Kaianja there 1

of basket::; set, from 73,I2~

due to the progressive dJdisaster has to a certain ~

ngege catch pel basket set,ngege were caught, but in a

3°1.(x) The total kisinja c

from the 19+7 total of 68,5~

302. Dried Fish.-Owinlsystematie returns have beenfrom Katwe and Katunguru fl

It is, however) known t~months May, June and July:a price at source of 85 cent. PI

303. Prices.-At the enlSh. I per kilo for dried (sa.tttcompetition was keen, especia possibility that prices will ri&

30+. Although the totalof kisinja and ningu at Katwe).lfished flom Katunguru and Iappreciated that the recoMedand 58 days greater at Katwehas been an increase of 23 P<number of ncts fished.

305. Accordingly, these j

that the increase in extent of (catch of llgege per net fished'9+7 to 6+ in '9+8, and at Kafish per net from KatunguruKarnre from about 23 to 16. '

306. The quality of thefrom the average weights re.regard to .the extent of the cat,drop in results, particularly atat Katwe the daily average of 3

307. It is therefore timefished from anyone vessel, othto this important fishery with

The one encouraging fe'weight of predators which haY<

--and Katwe are:-

At Kaianja

tom1J2'Z

o· 13

J 'S4·8

II '38 '63r (in baskets)

rcipal predators semutundu

'947:-Katunguro, an increase of

.16 per Cent.); and 56,03 I

UlCIease 'l-6t per cent.).. in the numbers of

• in tOtal weight.. show little change-40 in

.tiets per day Mve heen set

'1-3 per cent. in the dailyerage ngege catch per basket

r net at Katunguru is 6· 3on the 1947 figure of 20.

iesshow:-:atunguru, from I' 64 in '9475 to I' 68; and an increase at

Atunguru (from 4'45 to 4' 6)

lW'U (from 8· 5 to 7,8), and

lW'U (from 8'7 to 8'2); an~'2); and also an appreciable

llrU (from 2' 55 to 2' 46), and

45

3°°,(vii) The total nets set at Katunguru show an increase of 16 per

cent. but there is not an equivalent increase in the total catch.(viii) At Katwe there is a 46t per cent. increase in the number of

nets, but a very marked decrease in the extent of the catch.(ix) At Kaianja there has been a tremendous drop in the number

of baskets set, from 73,124 to 49,864-a difference of 23.260. This isdue to the progressive drying up of the lagoon. Fortunately, thisdisaster has to a certain ~xtent been off-set by an increased averagengege catch per basket set, from 2'27 to 4, and actually 27,7'2 morengege were caught, but in a longer fishing period of 62 more days.

3°1.(x) The total kisinja catch of 65,386 docs not differ a great deal

from the 1947 total of 68,5If.302. Dried Fish.-Owing to the ill-health of the Fish Culturist no

systematic returns have been kept of dried (salted) or smoked fish sentfrom Katwe and Katunguru for Uganda's internal trade.

It is, however, known that Mr. Dina Nath of Katwe during the threemonths May, June and July exported to Kenya 70 tons of salted fish ata price at source of 85 cents per lb. (e.g. total value £6,66f).

303. Prices.-At the end of the year Congo buyers 'were offeringSh. 1 per kilo for dried (salted) fish and Sh. llif cents for smoked. Ascompetition was keen, especially for the smoked commodity, there isa possibility tMt prices will rise even higher.

304. Although the total catch of each species (with the exceptionof kisiltfa and ningu at Katwe) as well as the grand total of fish taken in netsfished from Katunguru and Katwe show an actual increase, it must beappreciated tMt the recorded effort was 5 I days greater' at Katunguru,and 58 days greater at Katw~l than in 1947. 1\Ioreover, at Katwe therehas been an increase of 23 per cent, (e.g" 63 nets) in the daily averagenumber of nets fished.

305. Accordingly, these fisheries are not in the flourishing conditionthat the increase in extent of catches would at first indicate. The averagecatch of ngege per net fished from Katunguru has dropped from 70' 6 in1947 to 64 in 19'1-8, and at Katwe from 20 to '4' 1. The average catch offish per net from Katunguru has dropped froIU about 73 to 67, and atKatwe from about 23 to 16.

306. The quality of the fish caught, and especially of the ngege,from the average weights recorded shows. no cause for alarm, hut inregard to the extent of the catch in relation to the effort there is a seriousdrop in results, particularly at Katwe, which seems to suggest that at leastat Katwe the daily average of 338. 4 nets fished is more than enough.

307. It is therefore time to restrict the number of nets which can befished from anyone vessel, otherwise permanent hArm is likely to be causedto this important fishery with resultant progressively decreasing catches.

The one encouraging feature is the greatly increased number andweight of predators which have been caught.

.•

46

308. (i) Investigations conducted in Katwe Bay have confirmed thatngege frequent the shallows, which constitute the greater part of this bay,for breeding. It is well known that this bay is consistently poachedand it is almost certain that the serious reduction in the breeding femalesdue to this habitual poaching is responsible to sonie extent for thedecline in the average catch of the Katwe fishing fleet. In the deeperand more open waters of. the bay there are plenty of semutundu.

(ii) The Fish Culturist noticed that there was a substantial increasein the ngege catches at Katunguru and Katwe during a period of heavyrains in February.

309. In August, the site of the prospective Kigezi fishing settlementat Rwensama was visited by the Game Warden, the Fish Culturist andthe Lake Albert Fisheries Officer. The opportunity was also taken toinvestigate the mouths of the Ishasha and Ntungwe rivers, neither of whichis readily detecteq from the lake. Near the mouth of the Ntungwe, wherepredators abound, limited fishing activities with baskets are permitted.

310. Congo Industry.-In the latter part of the year the FishCulturist was privileged to visit the Belgian Government fishing' industryat the,'south ,end of Lake Edward. He saw two remarkable hauls made•by a seine net, 800 to 900 meters in length, near the Talia river which isabout 10 miles distant from Vitshumbi.

(i) The first haul was when the net was laid around the mouth ofthe river and about 20,000 fish, mostly barbus, were caught. Hundredsescaped by jumping over the side of the net.

: (ii) The second haul was at a point south of the river. The estimatedc~.tch exceeded 25,000 fish which were mostly Tilapia nilotica,practically all ripe fish, and nearly all females. 2 per cent. of the catchcpnsisted of Tilapia leucosticta.

Only ten predator fish were seen. The entire surface of the water abovethe tightly packed bag at the end of the net as it was hauled in was swarmingwith tiny tilapia, in various stages of development, which had been ejectedfrom their parents' mouths. They were being preyed upon by quantitiesof terns.

The report by the Fish Culturist, who is stationed at Kichwamba,follows:-

(4) REPORT BY THE FISH CULTUR1ST

3I I. Activities during the year have been concentrated on LakesEdward and George and the Kazinga Channel, with a view to investigatingthe reasons why these comparatively small and restricted fishing areasare so consistently productive of a heavy yield of Tilapia nilotica, andwhether the fishing effort could be extended to meet the demands of thelocal people of Turo, Ankole, and Kigezi, for a bigger share in the naturalwealth of their lakes.

312. Fertilisation.-The waters of Lake George and the KazingaChannel receive a generous application of organic and liquid fertiliserfrom the hundreds of hippopotamuses. Plant nutrients are being constantlyadded to the water and surrounding shores through the medium of

hippopotamus mat:

its dung with its Umanner. Not 011

considerably reducsalts, but the amoUlreduced. In otherIts movements tromaterially assistingit keeps down undethe fishermen fromare known to go for

313. Lake E~of Lake Edward iS1receiving an abun!turbulent conditioof water is unsuitalphytoplankton foplace is taken byfirmly to rocks an'attendant zooplankin this lake.

The protectionyield of fish.

314. Parasites.are singularly freein fish f~om otherbagrus) are clean ~

towards the surface. :rooted aquatic vegetiavoid contact withhowever, are probababundant organic feris shown by their imshot, and also in elmseen or heard grubbi:shallow water near th

315. Pelicans.­the shooting and eJwhile they both live'tilapia, which it copelican (Pelecanus r~

shore and to a large (being predators pre:Anhinga rufa the datilapia fishery, and i

examination of theP. rufescens revealed(Pelecanus roseus) on

46

308. (i) Investigations conducted in Katwe Bay have confirmed thatngege frequent the shallows, which constitute the greater part of this bay,for breeding. It is well known that this bay is consistently poachedand it is almost certain that the serious reduction in the breeding femalesdue to this habitual poaching is responsible to sonie extent for thedecline in the average catch of the Katwe fishing fleet. In the deeperand more open waters of. the bay there are plenty of semutundu.

(ii) The Fish Culturist noticed that there was a substantial increasein the ngege catches at Katunguru and Katwe during a period of heavyrains in February.

309. In August, the site of the prospective Kigezi fishing settlementat Rwensama was visited by the Game Warden, the Fish Culturist andthe Lake Albert Fisheries Officer. The opportunity was also taken toinvestigate the mouths of the Ishasha and Ntungwe rivers, neither of whichis readily detecteq from the lake. Near the mouth of the Ntungwe, wherepredators abound, limited fishing activities with baskets are permitted.

310. Congo Industry.-In the latter part of the year the FishCulturist was privileged to visit the Belgian Government fishing' industryat the,'south ,end of Lake Edward. He saw two remarkable hauls made•by a seine net, 800 to 900 meters in length, near the Talia river which isabout 10 miles distant from Vitshumbi.

(i) The first haul was when the net was laid around the mouth ofthe river and about 20,000 fish, mostly barbus, were caught. Hundredsescaped by jumping over the side of the net.

: (ii) The second haul was at a point south of the river. The estimatedc~.tch exceeded 25,000 fish which were mostly Tilapia nilotica,practically all ripe fish, and nearly all females. 2 per cent. of the catchcpnsisted of Tilapia leucosticta.

Only ten predator fish were seen. The entire surface of the water abovethe tightly packed bag at the end of the net as it was hauled in was swarmingwith tiny tilapia, in various stages of development, which had been ejectedfrom their parents' mouths. They were being preyed upon by quantitiesof terns.

The report by the Fish Culturist, who is stationed at Kichwamba,follows:-

(4) REPORT BY THE FISH CULTUR1ST

3I I. Activities during the year have been concentrated on LakesEdward and George and the Kazinga Channel, with a view to investigatingthe reasons why these comparatively small and restricted fishing areasare so consistently productive of a heavy yield of Tilapia nilotica, andwhether the fishing effort could be extended to meet the demands of thelocal people of Turo, Ankole, and Kigezi, for a bigger share in the naturalwealth of their lakes.

312. Fertilisation.-The waters of Lake George and the KazingaChannel receive a generous application of organic and liquid fertiliserfrom the hundreds of hippopotamuses. Plant nutrients are being constantlyadded to the water and surrounding shores through the medium of

hippopotamus mat:

its dung with its Umanner. Not 011

considerably reducsalts, but the amoUlreduced. In otherIts movements tromaterially assistingit keeps down undethe fishermen fromare known to go for

313. Lake E~of Lake Edward iS1receiving an abun!turbulent conditioof water is unsuitalphytoplankton foplace is taken byfirmly to rocks an'attendant zooplankin this lake.

The protectionyield of fish.

314. Parasites.are singularly freein fish f~om otherbagrus) are clean ~

towards the surface. :rooted aquatic vegetiavoid contact withhowever, are probababundant organic feris shown by their imshot, and also in elmseen or heard grubbi:shallow water near th

315. Pelicans.­the shooting and eJwhile they both live'tilapia, which it copelican (Pelecanus r~

shore and to a large (being predators pre:Anhinga rufa the datilapia fishery, and i

examination of theP. rufescens revealed(Pelecanus roseus) on

47

hippopotamus manure. The curious habit of this animal in scatteringits dung with its tail ensures this fertiliser being applied in. a most usefulmanner. Not only is it broken down into small particles therebyconsiderably reducing the time taken for its decomposition into usefulsalts, but the amount of oxygen required in this process is also considerablyreduced. In other ways the hippopotamus is also of benefit to the fishery.Its movements through the water stir up the bottom muds, therebymaterially assisting in the liberation of nutrients into the water. Also,it keeps down underwater rooted vegetation, and to some extent preventsthe fishermen from fishing their nets too close to the shore where tilapiaare known to go for or ::>.fter breeding.

313. Lake Edward.-The shallow water fringing the Uganda shoresof Lake Edward is also the home of numerous hippopotamuses. Whilereceiving an abundant application of fertiliser from these animals theturbulent conditions caused by waves in the more open and larger expanseof water is unsuitable to the successful propagation of the free swimmingphytoplankton found in Lake .George and the Kazinga Channel. Theirplace is taken by filamentous algae which are able to attach themselvesfirmly to rocks and underwater vegetation. These growths with theirattendant zooplankton largely comprise the food consumed hy the tilapiain this lake.

The protection of the hippopotamus is essential to a continued heavyyield of fish.

314. Parasites.-Tilapia and bagrus from Lakes Edward and Georgeare singularly free from nematode worms and other parasites, commonin fish f;-om other lakes. The cichli~s (which form the principal food ofbagrus) are clean feeding owing to the abunda,r\ce of. phytoplanktontowards the surface. They do not, therefore, have to grub about amongstrooted aquatic vegetation and bottom muds in search of food, and thusavoid contact with parasitic worms or their larvae. These parasites,however, are probably in reduced numbers in. these waters owing to theabundant organic fertilisation. That nematodes are present in these lakesis shown by their invariably being found in the stomachs of pelicans whenshot, and also in clarias. This fish is a bottom feeder and at night can beseen or heard grubbing about in the mud and rooted vegetation in the veryshallow water near the shore, in search of snails, frogs, worms, etc.

315. Pelicans.-Of the two species of pelicans found in these lakesthe shooting and examination of several dozen birds have shown thatwhile they both live on fish, the rosy pelican feeds more frequently ontilapia, which it consumes in enormous quantities. The pink-backedpelican (Pelecanus rufescens) which is in lesser numbers, feeds close to theshore and to a large extent on Haplochromis. Some species of Haplochromisbeing predators prey on juvenile tilapia. P. rufescens (together withAnhinga rufa the darter) is therefore of more benefit than harm to thetilapia fishery, and although no doubt tilapia are occasionally eaten, anexamination of the mass of fish bones beneath a nesting colony ofP. rufescens revealed no large tilapia bones. The large rosy pelican(Pelecanus roseus) on the other hand, especially when shot in Lake Georg~,

'laid around the mouth of, were caught. Hundreds

of the river. The estimated. mostly Tilapia nilotica,s. 2 per cent. of the catch

surface of the water aboveit was hauled in was swarming~ent, which had been ejected!g preyed upon by quantities

~. is stationed at Kichwamba,

f '

Hve Kigezi fishing settlementrden, the Fish Culturist and,portunity was also taken tolngwe rivers, neither of which.outh of the Ntungwe, where

baskets are permitted.rt of the year the Fishovernment fishing' industry

two remarkable hauls mader the Talia river which is

been concentrated on LakesI, with a view to investigatingand restricted fishing areas

'ield of Tilapia nilotica, andto meet the demands of thea bigger share in the natural

~we Bay have confirmed that~e the greater part of this bay,l bay is consistently poachedI

action in the breeding females~ble to some extent for thel fishing fleet. In the deeperplenty of semutundu.re was a substantial increase~we during a period of heavy!

:e George and the Kazingaorganic and liquid fertiliserIlUtrients are being constantlyres through the medium of

I~ ':~?'Le..

48

has invariably contained tilapia or the remains of tilapia. It has not beenpossible to assess the exact weight of fish consumed by a rosy pelican eachday but 6-8 lb. of tilapia taken from birds shot while still fishing suggests10 lb. is not an over-estimation. As the rosy pelican population of theselakes is more than a thousand the total weight of fish consumed in a yearis considerable.

316.. Aquarium Experiments.-Four Tilapia nilotica were kept ina small aquarium with a view to .investigating this species' breeding habits.On the bottom of the tank six inches depth of sand was laid, and Sagittariaand other rooted underwater vegetation planted as an aid to aeration.When these had taken root the fish were introduced. They were fedregularly on the larvae of chironomid flies, but within a few days of theirintroduction the fish had torn up and eaten all the vegetation. Waterlettuce (Pistia) was then put on the surface where it quickly spread andwas apparently dista~teful to the fish as they did not eat it. After being inthe tank for about a fortnight the male commenced to build a nest. Ithollowed out a saucer shaped depression by creating a current witha quick downward and sideways sweep of its tail. When apparently tiringof this it would stop over the depression using its pectoral fins vigorouslyso as to cr~ate a current which also moved the sand. These operationswere continued until a hollow was formed in which the fish c.,uld lie withmost of its body below the rim. It then commenced chasing the femalesabout and b\ting at their sides and driving them towards the ne~t. Noneof these could have been ripe as they did not breed and unfortunately alldied before they could do so. The colour of the male during the building,and especially after completing the nest, was very bright.

317· I That Tilapia nilotica do not tolerate the presence of other fish,and at times are even cannibalistic, was shown when fifteen smallHaplochromis of about half an inch in length were introduced into theaquarium!. Not only were these small fish attacked but several were eatenimmediatdy and' the rest finished off during the night. When thisexperiment took place the nilotica had not been fed for ~everal days.

318. Breeding of Tilapia nilotica.-Along the fandy shores of LakeEdward the catches of Tilapia nilotica have consistently shown apreponderance of males to females of approximately two to one. In thewaters of Lake George, the Kazinga Channel, and the bays in LakeEdward, more females to males are taken in about the. same proportion.In a single haul of a goo meter seine net, seen in the Congo, and near themouth of one of the rivers entering Lake Edward, an estimated 25,000

tilapia, all but 2 per cent. being nilotica, in every stage of breeding weretaken. The other 2 per cent. were Tilapia leucosticta. In this remarkablecatch females predominated in a ratio of approxim,,-tely twenty to everymale. The particular place was off a sandy beach, in clear water, and awayfrom papyrus swamps. Ripe males have been taken in Lake Georgeespecially towards the clearer water along the northern shore and whererivers enter this lake. Some ripe males are invariably seen with the dailycatch from the Kazinga Channel. From these observations it is noted thataltho1.!gh breeding is not confined to any particular places, conditions

. "" ..,,~

imost favoured for bree~particularly near the m~numbers of rosy pelican~a pelican has been shot '1it have been breeding ~

young still carried in thei;319· Salted Fish.­

room for improvement, 31

and the higher prices 01in the better preparation'from Aden. With the excNath of Katwe, the bulkthe Congo. Prices remain

320. Fresh Fish.--'·the year with the objectfrom Lake Edward. Sevisawdust, were tried, buthigh cost of transport, astoo costly.

321. Ten cyclists ar,and selling them at a prBunyaraguru. The fish at!

road. Between 250 and 304

322. The bulk of thto the Bakonjo cultivatorsof tilapia at Kaianja has iJfish are bartered for muhog

323. Smoked Fish.-Jby Greek buyers from theby this method. Fishermone ton of smoked fish reapproximately the same at

by salting. The prices obt;to Sh. I/go with most beilis very brittle and theref(salted fish. When sold tobaskets which are brought I

although it does not keepinsect pests and rats, is p.In the closed waters of Lby poachers for curing tpreparation is quick and 01

the fish between a frame'readily available in the thicl

324. Poaching.-Theled to increased and organi!The capture of poachers, I

sentel).ces, has not detern

[}ains of tilapia. It has not beenconsumed by a rosy pelican eachIs shot while still fishing suggestsrosy pelican population of theseeight of fish consumed in a year

Tilapia nilotica were kept ining this species' breeding habits.l of sand was laid, and Sagittariaplanted as an aid to aeration.

re introduced. They were fedI, but within a few days of their:aten all the vegetation. WaterIce where it quickly spread andLey did not eat it. Mter being inwmmenced to build a nest. It:>n by creating a current withits tail. When apparently tiringusing its pectoral fins vigorouslyr~d the sand. These operationsin which the fish could lie withcommenced chasing the femalesg them towards the ne~t. Nonenot breed and unfortunately all

of the male during the building,&S very bright.!Crate the presence of other fish,vas shown when fifteen smallength were. introduced into the, attacked but several were eateniuring the. night. When this:>een fed for several days.lIong the ~an1:ly shores of Lakea have consistently shown alroximately two to one. In thehannel, and the bays in Lakel in about the. same proportion.seen in the Congo, and near thee Edward, an estimated 25,000

in every stage of breeding werel leucosticta. In this remarkable. approximately twenty to every: beach, in clear water, and awaye been taken in Lake George~ the northern shore and wherete invariably seen with the dailylese observations it is noted that

[ particula< place" conditio",

49

most favoured for breeding are a well aerated water, with a sandy bottom,particularly near the mouths of rivera. It is near such places that largenumbers of rosy pelicans are usually seen fishing. In every instance whena pelican has been shot while fishing in such a locality the fish taken fromit have been breeding females, some having been swallowed with theyoung still carried in their mouths. .

319. Salted Fish.-While the preparation of salted fish still leavesroom for improvement, advice to the fishermen at Katwe and Katunguru,and the higher prices obtained for a well-cured product, have resultedin the better preparation of the fish by the exclusive use of salt importedfrom Aden. With the exception of 70 tons sold to Kenya by Messrs. DinaNath of Katwe, the bulk of salted fish amounting to 1,150 tons went tothe Congo. Prices remained around Sh. I per kilo. throughout the year.

320. Fresh Fish.-Katwe Fisheries, Ltd., started operations duringthe year with the object of supplying the Kampala market with fresh fishfrom Lake Edward. Several consignments, with the fish packed in ice andsawdust, were tried, but the increased price of the fish at 'source, and thehigh cost of transport, as well as losses from deterioration in transit provedtoo costly.

321. Ten cyclists are engaged in purchasing fresh fish at Katunguruand selling them at a profit of 5-10 cts. on each fish t6 the people ofBunyaraguru. The fish are sold at Lugazi market or to buyers along theroad. Between 250 and 300 fish are sold by these traders every day.

322. The bulk of the fish caught at Kaianja Lagoon is sold freshto the Bakonjo cultivators from near Bwera and Kanyampara. The priceof tila,pia at Kaianja has increased from 10 cts. to 20 cts. Many of thefish are bartered for muhogo flour and other food.

323. Smoked Fish.-An increased demand for smoked fish createdby Greek buyers from the Congo has brought about an incl'case of curingby this method. Fishermen estimate that whereas the cost of preparingone ton of smoked fish requires a ton of wood costing Shs. 37, it costsapproximately the same amount in imported Aden salt to cure 300 fishby salting. The prices obtained for smoked fish have varied from Sh. 1/50

to Sh. 1/90 with most being sold at Sh. 1/80 per kilo. The smoked fishis very brittle and therefore cannot be packed in the same manner assalted fish. When sold to the Congo the fish are packed in special wickerbaskets which are brought over by the fish buyers. Fish cured by smoking,although it does not keep as well as salted fish and is liable to attack byinsect pests and rats, is preferred, by the Mrican, especially in Uganda.In the closed waters of Lake George smoking is the method employedby poachers for curing their illegally caught fish. This method ofpreparation is quick and only requires the digging of a pit, the laying ofthe fish between a framework of papyrus, and smoking with materialsreadily available in the thickly forested area.

324. Poaching.-The high prices and demand for smoked fish hasled to increased and organised poaching in the closed area of Lake George.The capture of poachers, nets, boats and fish, and in some cases heavysenteI).ces, has not deterred these poachers, many of whom are bad

characters willing to take the risks of capture, which are small, in a gamblewhich, when it comes off, can easily amount to as much as Shs. 2,000 inone month's fishing'.

325. Fishing from the Ankole shore of Lake Edward.-It has not yetbeen possible to construct a road to the proposed new fishing village nearKazinga. .

326. Kigezi shore.-The opening up of fishing on Lake Edward tothe inhabitants of Kigezi awaits the -construction of a track to thesettlement site.

327. Lake Katinda.-This small crater lake, containing fivehippopotamuses, has been fished daily by one man using two nets. Itcontinues to produce a good quality fish in numbers sufficient to meetthe requirements of the Kichwamba Hotel 2nd many local Africans.

328. Lake Mulambi.-This small crater lake adjoining Lake Katindacontains no hippopotamuses. A f~w Tilapia nilotica can still be takenwith a 5-inch net, but they are too few to be profitable.

329. Lakes Chuwera and Kyamwiga.-These two little lakes havebeen examined. They contain a fair number of hippopotamuses anda good sized tilapia. The names of six local fishermen have been sent tothe District Commissioner, Ankole, for the necessary permission to. fishin these lakes.

330. Other Lakes.-Some waters which owing to their depth or havingno means of outside fertilisation (such as by hippopotamuses) show fortheir expanse .of water a poor return in fish. Such waters as Bunyonyi,Saka, Nkugute and many of the crater lakes and dams are examples. Somehave been stocke,1 with Tilapia nilotica but these fish, in the absence ofphytoplankton and seeking food in other directions, develop a "muddy"flavour and become infested with parasites.

331. A number of these lakes contain an invertebrate fauna moresuitable as food for an omnivorous species of tilapia. The majority of thelakes are in areas visited by tourists, and the introduction of a predatorhaving an angling value would prove an added attraction to such visitors.

332. Fish Farming.-It has not been possible to commence fishfarming experiments with indigenous species.

333. Lake Nakavali.-The following show~ the Tilapia nilotica catchesin Lake Nakavali during 1948. During the year the number of fishingpermits was increased from four to fifteen.

January No nets. These had been destroyed by crocodiles.February 1,954March .. . 1,449April... .., 2,,335May... ... 4,580June... .., 7,174July... 8,021August 5,051September .. , 4.432,October 7,738November 4,165December 2,,305

~ _ }.l.•'-~

These figures are as receivedMbarara during the year hasconstant reports of nets being

334· Crocodiles in Lake Mby shooting, in Lake Nakavali~

canoes with the aid of a spotliga successful method as the animalrange.

335· When shot in the braiIside, or back, with its feet out stiff,often long enough for a rope to Iashore. It sometimes happens 1

a disturbance on the surface ofsuch occasion three more cr,towards the wounded one. Twounded one was then 'finished 0

336. On another occasioncrocodiles' eyes quite close to the"gulping" noises were coming.to a large shoal of clanas. Thesefrogs could be seen jumping outwhere other clarias were waiting featen by the crocodiles which may~rocodi1e was shot but not landed'extent it had been feeding on the cL

337· Examination of the stoat night invariably showed signs or:digested, while one contained a yoof others. The shooting of this palin which large numbers of dartersthis nesting place ~.n easy source (a clumsy bird and quite frequentlystage and takes fright it falls or dive:

338. Food is usually absent j

during the daytime. This is due to I

to its rapidity of digestion. It isunderwater vegetation in which nunumbers of crocodiles (except at thNakavali. All the crocodiles shot ilor tilapia remains when examined, an,

339· They have become so Ui

a canoe which left one of the laneby two crocodiles which took off fOld nets were purposely sent out OJ

were later shot while they waitedh~d reported that these particular c

feet in length, had become exceedinconstantly beating the water when tb

',"';--~;

50

49,2,04TOTAL

r-

which are small, in a gambleIto as much as Shs. 2,000 in

Ike Edward.-It has not yet~d new fishing village near

r fishing on Lake Edward totruction of a track to the

Bt~r lake, contammg fiveine man using two nets. Itl numbers' sufficient to meet,d many local Africans., lake adjoining Lake Katindaria nilotica can still be takenprofitable.-These two little lakes havenber of hippopotamuses and~l fishermen have been sent to•necessary permission to fish

owing to their depth or havingby hippopotamuses) show foril. Such waters as Bunyonyi,and dams are examples. Some: these fish, in the absence ofirections, develop a "muddy"

[l an invertebrate fauna moreIf tilapia. The majority of the:he introduction of a predator~d attraction to such visitors.l possible to commence fish

lOWt:i the Tilapia nilotica ca.tchesle year the number of fishing

:n destroyed by crocodiles.

SI

These figures are as received from the fishermen. The fish position mMbarara during the year has much improved. Last year there wereconstant reports of nets being destroyed by crocodiles.

334. Crocodiles in Lake Nakavali.-30-40 crocodiles were destroyed,by shooting, in Lake Nakavali. This was done at night from dugoutcanoes with the aid of a spotlight and a six volt car battery. This isa successful method as the animal can be approached to within pointblankrange.

335. When shot in the brain a crocodile generally t\lms over on itsside, or back, with its feet out stiff, and it remains like this for a little while,often long enough for a rope to be tied to it, so that it can be draggedashore. It sometim~s happens that a crocodile when hit will causea disturbance on the surface of the water and attract others to it. On onesuch occasion three more crocodiles put in an appearance and movedtowards the wounded one. Two of the newcomers were shot and thewounded one was then 'finished off.

336. On another occasion the spotlight showed several pairs ofcrocodiles' eyes quite close to the shore and at a place from which curious"gulping" noises were coming. On investigating, the noises. were tracedto a large shoal of clarias. These were hunting as a pack and numerousfrogs could be seen jumping out of the papyrus into the deeper waterwhere other clarias were waiting for them. None of the fish was beingeaten by the crocodiles which may have been dazzled by the light. Onecrocodile was shot but not landed so it could not be ascertained to whatextent it had been feeding on the clarias.

337. Examination of the stomachs of crocodiles shot at Nakavaliat night invariably showed signs of some food, mainly fish in stages of beingdigestea, while onl; contained a young darter and the bones and feathersof others. The shooting of this particular crocodile occurred under a treein which large numbers of darters were neating. It had evidently foundthis nesting place ~.!l easy source of food supply, as the young darter isa clumsy bird and quite frequently when it has reached the nest-leavingstage and takes fright it falls or dives into the water.

338. Food is usually absent from the stom'lch of a crocodile shotduring the daytime. This is due to the anim'l.l feeding mainly at night andto its rapidity of digestion. It is amongst the thick growth of rootedunderwater vegetation in which numerous tilapia can also be seen thatnumbers of crocodiles (except at the breeding season) are found on LakeNakavali. All the crocodiles shot in such are~s at night contained tilapiaor tilapia remains when examined, and in this lake they feed mainly on fish.

339. They have become so used to robbing nets that one eveninga canoe which left one of the landings wa.s shortly afterwards followedby two crocodiles which took off from different places ".long the shore.Old nets were purposely sent out on this occasion and the two crocodileswere later shot while they waited hopefully near them. The fishermenh'l.d reported that these particular creatures, both specimens over twelvefeet in length, had become exceedingly bold and had to be kept away byconstantly beating the water when the nets were fished during the day.

52

340. The largest crocodile shot at Nakavali during the year measuredover 16 feet. This huge specimen after having been fired at and missedbecame very wary. Eventually, he was shot one night when raidingset-nets. He was seen to surface only a few yards away covered withfishing net which had several tilapia still in it and flapping about on hisneck and back. At the shot he disappeared but was so entangled in thenets that it was possible to drag him ashore with them. He was an oldmale and his stomach contained about thirty iilapia and oits of net. Fourof the nets which had been set were completely destroyed and the othersbadly damaged.

34I. CTocodile neaT Lake GeoTge.-During the year a species offorest riverine crocodile Osteolaemus tetraspis hitherto recorded from WestAfrica and the Congo, was found in a prospecting pit (into which it hadfallen) near the Hoindagi river. The place is about five miles from LakeGeorge. This rare specimen appears to be very !,ld and is almost blackin colour on the back and undersides. It measures 5 feet 10 inches inlength. No anxiety is felt for the fisheries by the finding of this crocodilein the area as it is a species which is only found in rivers bordered by thickforest. No crocodiles have been seen or reported from the lakes themselves.

342. Co-operative GTOUPS of Fishermen.-Three additional net fishinglicences were issued during the year to the Toro fishermen at Katunguru.Each licence was issued to a group of ten men jointly owning one vessel.This was done with a view to encouraging the men to acquire, if possible,a sense of responsibility by sharing in the work and profits of their trade.The remaining 17 available licences for Lake Edward have been reservedfor issue to sim~lar groups at Katwe. .rhe numerous applications for netfishing licences 'do not justify the issue of a licence to an individual whensuch licences are limited, as the individual owner can without doing anyfishing himself, ,obtain up to Shs. 100 per month bv hiring out his vesselto less fortunate .fishermen.

343. Longline Fishery.-It has not yet been possible to increasethe number of vc.,els for long line fishing in the Lake Edward/Georgearea. Those fishermen ,.1ready engaged in this type of fishing are makingincreasing use of haplochTomis as bait. These small fish are caught nearthe landings on barbless hooks baited with offaL

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Iol"akavali during the year measuredr having been fired at and missed~ shot one night when raidingi a few yards away covered withIi in it and flapping about on hisfl"'d but was so entangled in theJll:ore with them. He was an oldLirty /i/apia and bits of net. Fourtnpleteiy destroyed and the others

-During the year a species ofaspjs hitherto recorded from Westlrospecting pit (into which it hadlee is about five miles from Lake, be very .old and is almost blacki It measures 5 feet IO inches ineo by the finding of this crocodile'found in rivers bordered by thickeported from the lakes themselves.

1Ien.-Three additional net fishinghe Toro fishermen at Katunguru.!Il men jointly owning one vessel.19 the men to acquire, if possible,e work and profits of their trade.Lake Edward have been reserved'he numerous applications for netIf a licence to an individual whenW owner can without doing anyrr month by hiring out his vess-el

~' yet been possible to increase

in the Lake Edward/Georgethis type of fishing are making

Be small fish are caught near~ olla!:

T. C. VAN INGEN,Fish Cul/uri"t.

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1.. j351. As the hippoposatisfactory plankton growth.and 3(2), it is essential thatas possible in this lake. I

352. On account of th~guards hllve been posted tostatistics.

54

(6) M[NOR LAKES AND THE VICTORIA NILE

346. Lake Kijanebalola.-The acute shortage of small mesh netshas continued to affect very adversely what was last year an extremelyprofitable and thriving industry. The majority of nets are home-madeand last on an average 45 days. Two nets, each of a length of fifty yards,and with three-inch mesh, can be made locally from a packet of threadcosting Shs. 25 or Shs. 26. This compares very favourably with theShs. [6 eharged for an imported three-inch net. At one time it wasreported that some imported nets had been retailed for as Iowa price asShs. [3/50 cents, but it was never ascertained exactly what they were.

347. The "Koki" boats, made mainly of musizi wood vary in priceaccording to size and transport charges. The cost of the larger size isShs. 80 and of the smaller Shs. 65 to whieh has to be added translWr[ costsvarying from Shs. 20 to Shs. 25, but it is said that some of the boatsdelivered at the lake have cost as much as Shs. r20. On the other handone enterprising artisan has set up building this type of craft on the lakeshore at Shs. 50 apiece.

For dugouts, which are fashioned principally out of the bark clothtree there is ~ ,,~de range of prices from Shs. [5 to Shs. 65, but they do notlast long.

348. There is no evidence to indicate that this lake is being overfished, although in March the local Sa2a Chief, the Kamuswaga, stoppedfishing on the grounds. amongst others, that the driving of fish was undulyreducing the stock. He also forbade fishing by "foreigners", whichreferred to all Mcieans who were not Bakoki. The use on a small scale ofthe 2l inch mesh net is neither in the best interests of the fishermen norof the fishery.

In May, fishing was being conducted from eight landings, butthroughout the year the effort was greatly impeded by the net shortage.

349. The prices generally prevailing have been Sh. [ for 45 fresh,or for 30 smoked, ngege. At certain landings the price was Sh. [ for 40fresh fish. The barter value of a normal size bunch of bananas was 35ngege. Shs. r6 was the price of a bundle of 500 smoked ngege. A largequantity of fish is bartered for food. Local middlemen purchase 80 ngegefor Shs. 2 to retail at a cons,iderable profit; this. is a cycle service.

350. In March a "Distribution of Fish" licence was granted UgandaLakes Ltd., for the four months till the end of June, which was subsequentlyextended till th~ end of the year. This stipulated that this Company wasrestricted to the export of not more than three tons of dried fish per week,but it did ensure an organised m'-rket for much of the fishermen's catch.

345. The fall in effort continues and compared with [947 an averageof only 21' 6 baskets a day were set over a total recorded period of 434fishing days (422 in '947), but the nandere catch has greatly increasedfrom [85,852 to 568,929.

The average weight of 568,929 nandere is o· 3 lb. which is a big dropon the [947 average of o' 39 lb. The total weight of nandere is 75 tons.

Control measures have been the same ae in previous years,

55..

35 L As the hippopotamus is a most valuable contributor tosatisfactory plankton growth in shallow, still waters (vide paragraphs 124and 312), it is essential that this big, aquatic beast is protected as muchas possible in this lake.

352 . On account of the relative importance of this fishery two fishguards 'have been posted to this region for most of the year to collectstatistics.

:ed from eight landings, hut~ed by the net shortage.have been Sh. I for 45 fresh,IgS the price was Sh. I for 40

size bunch of bananas was 35pi 500 smoked ngege. A larget middlemen purchase 80 ngegebis is a cycle service.il" licence was granted Ugandaf June, which was subsequentlymlated that this Company wasree tons of dried fish per week,i1Ch of the fishermen's catch, .If~j?

~ishortage of small mesh netsat was last year an extremelyiiority of nets are home-madebc'h of a length of fifty yards,K:a1ly from a packet of threadlres very favourably with thelch net. At one time it was, retailed for as low a pI ice asd exactly what they were.r of musizi wood vary in pricerhe cost of the larger size ishas to be added transport costs,s said that some of the boatsShs. 120. On the other hand: this type of craft on the lake

is o' 3 lb. which is a big drop. ht of nandere is 75. tons.in previous years.

mpared with '947 an averagetotal recorded period of 434

e catch has greatly increased

lcipally out of the bark cloth. 15 to Shs. 65, but they do not

e that this lake is heing over'bief, the Kamuswaga, stoppedthe driving of fish was unduly

.hing by "foreigners", whichi The use on a small scale ofI interests of the fishermen nor

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355. Lake Kachira~T:that a small fishing industryof effective control there is a tfishermen into conflict with thenets farther and farther alielimportant part in the economy 0:

a fishing industry, and the cradicbe disastrous. Fishing with smallwhich is illegal, unfortunately con1

356. Lake Nakavali (AnJwk:little lake is made in the Fish!'Twenty-four five-inch nets app'"which can be safely fished withJngege Tilapia nilotica. "

Four prospective fishermen"in thc use of the five-inch mesh "

357. Owing to the continue.the control measureS that are!destructive and dangero\ls pests. :the certainty of net destruction-awreck a whole fleet of nets. The 0but by the time it has arrived at 1\has risen to 35 cents; this meaD!to this centre can earn Shs. 15 per

358. Lake Mburu and Lake ,transfers of T. nilotica to these tWIknown to contain small numberSstocking, as well as in the hope tnway into nearby Lakes Kasasa and

359. Lake Kaletwa (Ankolenaturally stocked by escapes frolTilapia nilotica.

360. Lake Rllnyonyi (Kige";)to report aboul the local ngege fishe

361. Lake Mutanda (Kige:ei).·into a flourishing minor industryagriculturists of the damage causeda serious threat to this fishery. TIreally thrives and is abundant are I

frequented by this large amphibiotimportance to ·the welfare of this 1Lake Bunyonyi. Should the hippothe economic fishery will certainly'

362. Lake Nabugabo (Mma!<continues on the usual primitive 1must be some profit in it Or it woul

363. Lake Kaianja (Masako:in this small lake, but there are I

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57..355. Lake Kachira."-There is little to record from !his lake except

that a small fishing industry conti.nues to be conducted. In the absenceof effective control there is a tendency to over-fishing, which brings thefishermen into conflict with the resident hippopotamuses, as they set theirnets farther and farther afield. But the hippopotamus plays a mostimportant part in the economy of all shallow inland waters where there isa fishing industry, and the eradication of this large, useful creature wouldbe disastrous. Fishing with small mesh nets of a size less than five inches,which is illegal, unfortunately continues.

356. Lake Nakavali (Ankol~).-Further reference to this well-stockedlittle lake is made in the Fish Culturist's report (paragraphs 333-340).Twenty-four five-inch nets appears to be the maximum number of netswhich can be safely fished without unduly redueing the stock of that finengege Tilapia nilotica.

Four prospective fishermen were sent to Katunguru for instructionin the use of the five-inch mesh gill-net.

357. Owing to the continued prevalence of crocodiles, notwiti)standingthe control measures that are constantly being taken agai'lst thesedestructive and dangerous pests fishing by· night is impossible owing tothe certainty of net destruction--<me crocodile can in one night irreparablywreck a whole fleet of nets. The cost of an ngege at the lake side i. 20 cents,but by the time it has arrived at Mbarara, some 20 miles distant, the pricehas risen to 35 cents; this means that the middleman carrying 100 fishto this centre can earn Shs. 15 per day.

358. Lake Mhuru and Lake Mikera.-In January there were furthertransfers of T. nilotica to these two South Ankole lakes, which are alreadyknown to contain small numbers of this ngege, in order to acceleratestocking, as well as in the hope that fish from these waters will find theirway into nearby Lakes Kasasa and Kavandete.

359. Lake Kaletwa (Ankole).-This little lake which has beennaturally stocked by eseapes from Lake Nakavali contains some largeTilapia nilotica.

360. Lake Bunyonyi (Kigezi).-There is little of particul~ interestto report about the local ngege fishery.

361. Lake Mutanda (Kigezi).-The local ngege fishery has developedinto a flourishing minor industry, but constant complaints by Mrieanagriculturists of the d.mage caused to crops by hippopotamusesconstitutesa serious threat to this fishery. The parts of this lake in which the ngegereally thrives and is abundant are those at the northern and southern endfrequented by this large amphibious beast. The hippopotamus is of vitalimportance to the wellare of this fishery, which is far superior to that ofLake Bunyonyi. Should the hippopotamus disappear from Lake Mutandathe economic fishery will certainly suffer.

362. Lake Nahugaho (Masaka).-Beyond the fact that this fisherycontinues on the usual primitive lines there is nothing to report. Theremust be some profit in it or it would have ceased long ago.

363. Lake Kaianja (Masaka).-A little basket fishing takes placein this small lake, but there are certain inhibitions about fishing on the

..

MonthNandere

------,No. 1/".

March and April ... 3,996 337May and June ." 17,724- 2,374July and August ... 2,37° 4°3November and

December 3.976 +82------

TOTAL '" 28,066 3,596

371. Victoria Nile (BLwampanga for transmission to

QUANTITIES OF DRIED

374·(iv) Arabaka.-Some experi

gill-net was carried out in thisngege, one kasulubana and 20 mtaken place in 1948 because tbNo doubt the local folk are hQCotton cultivation at this seasonhas temporarily ceased.

(v) Amudoyi.-There is nocultivation. This dam must ba few pink-backed pelicans on it.

(vi) Aloet.-This dam is veApril, '947, 3 I ngege, I semu/_were caught.

This represents a total weigl

(7) DAMS372. Teso.-Owing to f,

in all the Teso dams from Apthese dams remained open tothis was taken by local Mri,(ngege) and clarias (male) and s' .

Iformer. , I373. A Senior fish guard iu1

June and July at a time when all;plenty of water. He reported as fi

(i) Adoyi.-Maximum deptspecies of duck occur, one being

(ii) Aketa.-Maximum deptmale. Local Africans are fisbin!are poor.

(iii) Ngobo.-This is the lalin it. There are a few crocodile.

Landing

Lwampanga Kitobwa Muyinami-

Days ... '10 '74 '3Hooks ... ... 7S,IJ8 47,156 .. .Baskets ... ... 2,3 16 3,93 2 4,24I

No. /b:>. No. lbs. No. [hr.

Nandere ... 24.341 9,739 3,583 1,347 ...Scrnutundu ... 2,716 17,167 1,549 9,599 5 37Kasulubana ... 37+ 2<)0 7 12 ...Kisinja ... 267 9,6 '33 469 8 35Male ... I,:UZ 5,446 654 3.085 2 10Mamba ... 1.451 15,3°6 4,008 37,026 .. ...

----------~-TOTAL ... 3°,361 48,864 9,934- 51 ,538 . . ...

part of the local resident population. It is still not known (vide paragraph33 I, 1947) whether any of the Tilapia esculenta introductions have survived.

364. Lake Niungu (Ankole).-This small crater lake, which is abouttwo miles south of the Kichwamba Hotel contains plenty of Tilapiatrewavasae, as well as stunted T. nilotica. It is fished by some dozenMricans with rod and line and single home-made hook, using larvae ofchironomid flics as bait. Each angler catches 10 to 12 fish per day, eitherfor his own consumption or to retail at 5 to 10 cents each. They fish fromsmall rafts made of banana stems. The Fish Culturist using fine tackleand the same bait caught eight of these fish in half-an-hour; two fish werealso taken on a fly.

365. Lake Saka (Toro).-This crater lake seems to be overstockedwith stunted Tilapia nilotica. Possibly owing to a lack of its normalplankton food many of these fish have a minute black parasite embeddedin the tissue immediately heneath the scales.

366. Lake Isunga (Toro).-This small crater lake is overstockedwith stunted Tilapia nilotica, and Tilap£a trewavasae also occurs.

367. Lake Kiyanja (Masindi).-This small, shallow lake, not farfrom Masindi, is about 250 acres in extent and fringed with papyrus.Tilapia esculenta from the King's Lake, Kampala, were introduced inFebruary, 1946. In 'May, 1948, a small party of Europeans fishing withworms caught 125 of these tilapia, averaging about I lb. each, in 21 hour&one evening. Since then fishing has been poor and eight in an eveningis the best performance of one rod. Also, fishing before the great day hadresulted in extremely meagre catches of ti/apia and a few darias.

368. Masindi Water Supply.-There are plenty of Tilapia esculentain this 'mall dam, i\S a result of the 1945 introduction.

369. Victoria' Nile (Buruli, Buganda).-The fisheries in the VictoriaNile based on Lwampanga, Kitobwa and Muyinami were investigatedrespectively on 170, 174 and 13 days. These fisherics are conducted withhooks and baskets.· The appended Table gives details of the catches.

The average weight of the nandere is 0'4 lb. (0'42 lb. in 1947); andof the three predators-semutundu 6'3 lb., male 4' 5 lb., and mamba 9'6 lb.The kisinja average 3' 5 lb.

370. VICTORIA NILE-BuRULI-BUG~'lDA

58

•still not known (vide paragrapha introductions have survived.

I crater lake, which is abouttel contains plenty of Tilapia

It is fished by some dozene-made hook, using larvae of

es 10 to 12 fish per day, either,0 10 cents each. They fish fromi~ish Culturist using fine tackle!'Jl in half-an-hour; two fish were,'" lake seems to be overstockedowing to a lack of its normalminute black parasite embedded....nail crater lake is overstocked'l'ewavasae also occurs.is small, shallow lake, not fartent and fringed with papyrus., Kampala, were introduced inparty of Europeans fishing withLng about I lb. each, in 2t hoursn poor and eight in an eveningfishing before the great day had

apia and a few clarias.~ are plenty of Tilapia esculentaintroduction.).-The fisheries in the Victoriald Muyinami were investigatedlese fisheries are conducted with:ives details of the catches.0'4 lb. (0'42 lb. in '947); andmale 4' 5 lb., and mamba 9.6 lb.

JLI-BUGANDA[..anding

{itobwa Muyinami

174 1347,156 ...

3,93:z 4.24 1

lbs. No. [hs.

'3 1,347 ... ...-9 9.599 5 377 12 ... ...,3 469 8 35'4 3,085 2 10.s 37,026 ... ...-'4 5',538 '" ...

59

371. Victoria Nile (Buruli}-Dried Fish.-Dried fish landed atLwampanga for transmission to Kampala was weighed as follows:-

QUANTITIES OF DRIED FI8H EXPORTED FROM VICTORIA NILE AND LAKEKVOGA TO BUGANDA

SpeeiesMonth

Nandere Semutundu Male Mamba-------------

--;;;;-1-----;;;-No'1tbs. No. [bs. No. lhs.

March and April ... 3,996 337 895 2.354 56 '4° 4.072 10,326May and June ... 17,724 2,374- 848 I,766 149 2°9 2,672 8,349July and August ... 2,370 4°3 258 836 ... .. . 475 1,246November and

December ... 30976 482 4°5 65' 47 '4° 620 1,421-------------------------

TOTAL ... 28.066 30596 2,406 5.607 252 489 7.839 21,342

ThIS represents a total weight of nearly '4 tons.

(7) DAM8372. Teso.-Owing to fo'od scarcity general fishing was authorised

in all the Teso dams from April until the end of August; subsequently,these dams remained open to general fishing, though little advantage ofthis was taken by local Mricans. There are plenty of Tilapia esculenta(ngege) and c!arias (male) and some dams are now overstocked with thefonner.

373. A Senior fish guard investigated eight of the Teso dams duringJune and July at a time when all should have contained, and did contain,pleflty of water. He reported as follows:-

(i) Adoyi.-Maximum depth 7 feet. Fishing has not started. Twospecies of duck occur, one being the knob-bill.

(ii) Aketa.-Maximum depth 8 feet. It is stocked with ngege 'andmale. Local Mricans are fishing with long lines and hooks, but catchesare poor.

(iii) Ngobo.-This is the largest of the Teso dams, and has ngegein it. There are a few crocodiles and plenty of duck.

374·(iv) Arabaka.-Some experimental fishing with a five-inch mesh

gill-net was carried out in this dam during '947, and it is said that 9ngege, one kasulubana and 20 mamba were caught. No net fishing hastaken place in 1948 because the net provided last year is worn out.No doubt the local folk are hoping for the free issue of another net!Cotton cultivation at this season has interfered with basket fishing whichhas temporarily ceased.

(v) Amudoyi.-There is no fishing at this time owing to cottoncultivation. This dam must be well-stocked with fish, as there area few pink-backed pelicans on it.

(vi) Aloet.-This dam is very overgrown. It is said that duringApril, '947, 3' ngege, I semutundu, I kasulubana, I male and 18 mambawere caught.

•

,,

•

--- ..,.

60

375·(vii) Dokolo.-In 1947, experimental fishing with one five-inch mesh

gill-net caught I ngege, 2 kasulubana and 6 mamba.(viii) Obuli.-Experimental fishing with the above-mentioned net

caught 22 mamba. There are some crocodiles in this dam.(ix) General.-Little interest has so far been taken by local Mricans

to develop dam fishing. The Mrican dam inspector, as opportunityoffers, shoots crocodiles with a shot gun and S.S.G. in the few damsin which this interloper occurs.

376. Game Warden's Tour.-At the end of November the GameWarden visited the emaIl dam at Abela, and the larger ones at Ngobo andAketa.

(i) Abela.-Not particularly large; very overgrown with encroachingreeds and water grasses leaving an unduly small area of open water.Under present conditions could only support an extremely limited stockof fish. This dam was stocked with nandere (the local name for ngege)by the Game Department. It is accessible by car, by a good track Ie..than t mile distant from a main road.

377·(ii) Ngobo.-This is a magnificent dam with a tremendous eXp'anse

of water which may be as much as five miles in circumference.Abundantly stocked with fish, as well as supporting quantities of waterfowl, including four pink-back pelicans. Amongst the duck identifiedwere-knob-billed (a few), white-faced whistling te•.! (abundant), Capepink-bill (a few), white-backed diving duck (many), hottentot teal(plenty), and ~ few large packs of Mrican pochard. Accessible by caralong a good track of about 41 miles. Has been stocked with nandere.

378.(iii) Aketa.--'-This is another fine dam with a wide expanse of open

water, which has also been stocked with nandere. It is fairly deep allover as reeds and rushes have not encroached; there are a lot of large,white water lilies. It is four miles off a main road but is readilyapproachable by a well-maintained car track. It supports a few smallpacks of Mrican pochard, and a few hottentot teal.

379·(iv) General.-At the time of this visit there was no fishing on any

of these dams. It is fully appreciated that stocking dams with fish canonly be of secondary importance to the main purpose of these damswhich is to provide water at all times for man and beast, and there canbe no question of periodically emptying dams to re-fertilise the areawhich is the normal procedure in fish farming.

380. But in view of weed encroachment in varying intensity notonly in Teso but in most dams in Uganda, which must have a definitelyadverse effect on the volume of free water available, there is certainly theneed for the introduction, if possible, of a weed-eating fish, which at thesame time might be an economic asset. There is a species of tilapz"aobtainable from Northern Rhodesia which is a voracious weed feeder,

which may be just what is r,vegetation. But until exlurustithis species locally in practical'not positively dangerous, to al

voracious weed-eaters, for ins·but then stir up the bottom toturbid.

38r. Lango.-At the endeight of the Lango dams, as ,unrestricted fishing for all speciNotes on the dams visited are as

382.(i) Alidi.-This is a smal

and, in consequence is onlyspecies not identified, as well ,variety. There is plenty of operoad from which it is accessibl,

383.(ii) Ngetta.-This is aver

contains fish, but could only sweed and water lilies, is fairl:open water. Is close to a main

384.(iii) Aler.-A fair sized daJ

of 14 feet at the embankmenlseason. Has a big stock of ,worms, on hook and line. A Ifilled for first time in 1944. ~

it. It is alongside a main road

385.(iv) Alibangyiro.-Another

deep, open water. It was buil1944. Has .a good deal of wacontain a lot of plankton. 'II

stocked with nandere. A fe"knob-bill seen.

386.(v) Achake.-This is anot

in 1943 a",d first filled in I9+flcontains many nandere; drops :seriously, when it was over 2C

spillway very nearly washed. aof open, clear water with appar,

387.(vi) Atan.-Another roadsi

in 1944. 16 feet water depth

I[ fishing with one five-inch mesh'6 mamba.~th the above-mentioned net~Ies in this dam.,.,. been taken by local AfricansI dam inspector. as opportunity:un and S.S.G. in the few dams

c end of November the Gamefid. the larger ones at Ngobo and

~ery overgrown with encroachinglduly small area of open water.pport an extremely limited stock",dere (the local name for ngege)ible by car, by a good track less

lam with a tremendous expanse8 five miles in circumference.IS supporting quantities of waterI. Amongst the duck identifiedwhistling teal (abundant), Capeg duck (many), hottentot tealcan pochard. Accessible by carlas been stocked with nandere.

n with a wide expanse of openh nandere. It is fairly deep alloached; there are a lot of large,DII a main road but is readilyftrack. It supports a few smalltentot teal.

sit there was no fishing on anyhat stocking dams with fish canIf: main purpose of these dams>r man and beast, and there canIi dams to re-fertilise the area!llting.uncnt in varying intensity nota, which must have a definitelyr available, there is certainly theL weed-eating fish, which at the

There is a species of tilapia:h is a voracious weed feeder,

which may be just what is required for keeping darns free of unnecessaryvegetation. But until exhaustive experiments have been conducted withthis species locally in practical pond culture it would be most unwise, ifnot positively dangerous, to attempt any general introduction, as somevoracious weed-eaters, for instance carp, not only clear a pond of vegetation,but then stir up the bottom to such an extent that the water is alwaysturbid.

381. Lango.-At the end of November the Game Warden visitedeight of the Lango darns, as a result of which he recommended thatunrestricted fishing for all species of fish should be permitted forthwith.Notes on the dams visited are as follow:-

382.(i) Alidi.-This is a small, new dam which is less than 3 years old

and, in consequence is only partially filled. It contains a lot of fish,species not identified, as well as much aquatic vegetation in considerablevariety. There is plenty of open water. This dam is two miles off a mainroad from which it is accessible by a good motor track. ,

383.(ii) Ngetta.-This is a very small dam which was built in '94' and

contains fish, but could only support a very small stock. It has a lot ofweed and water lilies, is fairly deep, but has a very restricted area ofopen water. Is close to a main road and has a good car approadI.

384.(iii) Aler.-A fair sized dam with plenty of open water; lias a depth

oi '4 feet at the embankment, which drops to '2 feet during the dryseason. Has a big stock of nandere which can b~ caught freely withworms, on hook and line. A lot of water lilies. Was built in '943, butfilled for first time in '944. Two dozen white-backed diving ducks onit. It is alongside a main road.

385.(iv) Alibangyiro.-Another roadside dam. A lengthy expanse of

deep, open water. It was built in '943, and filled for the first time in'944~ Has a good deal of water weed along the edge, and appears tocontain a lot of plankton. "feet deep at the embankment. Has beenstocked with nandere. A few water lilies, mainly white. One maleknob-bill seen.

386.(v) Achake.-This is another roadside dam which also was built

in '943 and first filled in '944. Is '4 feet deep at the embankment, andcontains many nandere; drops 2 feet in the dry season. In '944 floodedseriously, when it was over 20 feet deep, and owing to an inadequatespillway very nearly washed away the embankment. A good expanseof open, clear water with apparently little plankton. A few water lilies.

387.(vi) Atan.-Another roadside dam built in '943, which first filled

in '944. ,6 feet water depth at embankment, which drops 2 feet in the

•

62

dry season. Water lilies abundant along the edge, with much openwater. White water lilies, which are more spectacular, appear topreponderate, but the blue are probably equally numerous. Thereseems to be a lot of plankton. It is plentifully stocked with nandere,and is said to contain many large male; also reported to harbour pythons.A pair of pigmy geese on it.

388.(vii) Agwang.-Another of the roadside dams built in 1943 which

first filled in 1944. A very small dam which has an embankment depthof II feet, and contains nandere. Has plenty of open water, and alsovegetation quite distinct from all the other large dams visited. A thickfringe or mat of dwarf-sized Nile cabbage (Pistia st~atiotes), and a tall,dense border of masses of a conspicuous, silver-coloured water weed:a few white water lilies. Said to be visited occa.ionally by crocodilesfrom the Moroto river.

389.(viii) Ayen.-Anothcr of the roadside dams built in 1943, which first

filled in 1944. An extremely small dam with very discoloured water andcontaining little weed. Water level appears to have dropped considerablyrecently. II'feet water depth at embankment. A very few white waterlilies, and a fringe of yellow flowering, bulbous, water hyacintlt A fewnandere and some male. One pink-bill duck on it.

39°·(ix) General:-(a) The individuality of each of these danlS is most striking.(b) A, botanical survey of each dam is necessary.(c)~ All must be systematically water tested, as all seem to be

different.(d) Good photographs of each dam should prove of value.(e) The introduction of a weed-eating species of tilapia will

probably be beneficial.(I) As no one was seen fishing it is advisable to encourage fishing

by any practical method in all these waters.(g) In addition to the introduced nandere most of these dams

contain male (catfish).391. Acholi.-By August nine dams had been completed in north­

eastern Acholi, but they will not be ready this year for stocking with fish.Treating these dams with a weak solution of copper sulphate as ananti-bilharzia precaution is unlikely to prove inimical to fish life.

392. Masaka.-In mid-May the Game Warden investigated thelarge Kya2anga dam, and at the end of May visited this same dam as wellas six others in this District.

393·(i) Kyazanga.-This dam which is alongside the main Mbarara

road some 30 miles out from Masaka has the appearance of a small lake,but, unfortunately, since much of its water was released a year ago toremedy the flooding of the road, it has dwindled alarmingly and is

nothing like its former ~e

10 miles. In the fortnigdisastrously, and at thewatering there it seemed al

394. In mid-May it jcollection of waterfowl indihottentot teal, a pair of pignas a couple of pink-backed p'about to breed). In certain pincluding a large patch of yel

395. A fortnight later'most of the waterfowl hadP\'licans were still there, andof dead ngege were lying in w,stork was observed.

When water conditions Iwith scoop baskets.

396

. j:(ii) Mbirizi.-This isany waterfowl, but is saidoff a main road and in dry

397· I(iii) Kyebondogoto.-Tii

which one day may expanddams to be stocked with 7always seems to be patrorhas a number of yellow-bill

It is about a mile off a D

car.

398.(iv) Kabulangiti.-This

and is close to a main roadexposed for waterfowl.

399·(v) Kikoma.-This is I

It has no duck and very fea main road and in dry wea

4°°·(vi) Ntusi.-This is "1

double or treble its eXpa:D$depth of several feet throlllto be plentiful. A very att~

In addition to a few do: I

it supports some extrewater hen (Gallinufa aialleni).

g the edge, with much openmore spectacular, appear to

bly equally numerous. Therelentifully stocked with nandere,so reported to harbour pythons.

~,laide darns built in '943 which~hich has an embankment depthf plenty of open water, and alsofher large dams visited. A thickmgt (Pistia stratiotes), and a tall,~us, silver-coloured water weed:~isited occasionally by crocodiles

e dams built in '943, which first, with very discoloured water and""" to have dropped considerablytkment. A very few white waterbulbous, water hyacinth. A fewluck on it.

se dams is most striking.is necessary.liter tested, as all seem to be

should prove of value..-eating species of tilapia will

i. advisable to encourage fishing~ers.

i _tiere most of these dams

I had been completed in north­. this year for stocking with fish.lion of copper sulphate as an~e inimical to fish life.

~ Warden investigated the~y visited this same dam as well

is alongside the main Mbararas the appearance of a small lake,'liter was released a year ago toI3ll dwindled alarmingly and is

63

nothing like its former expanse when it had a circumference of at least10 miles. In the fortnight from '7th to 3,st May it had further shrunkdisastrously, and at the rate at which the Bahima cattle herds werewatering there it seemed as if it would soon be drunk dry.

394. In mid-May it still maintained an abundant and variedcollection of waterfowl including yellow-billed duck, knob-bill, pink-bill,hottentot teal, a pair of pigmy geese and a few spur-winged geese, as wellas a couple of pink-backed pelicans and a dozen painted snipe (which wereabout to breed). In certain parts there is a good deal of aquatic vegetation,including a large patch of yellow flowering water hyacinth.

395. A fortnight later with the exception of a few ducks and geesemost of the waterfowl had disappe?red although the two pink-backed~Jicans were still there, and only one painted snipe w~.s seen. A numberof dead ngege were lying in water only a few inches deep. One saddle-billedstork was observed.

When water conditions permit a certain amount of fishing takes placewith scoop baskets. .

396.(ii) Mbirizi.-This is a very small dam, too .mall in fact to support

any waterfowl, but is said to contain a few ngege. It is a,bout half-a-mileoff a main road and in dry weather is accessible by car.

397·(iii) Kyebondogoto.-This is a small dam of considerable promise

which one day may expand considerably. It was the first of the MasakadaVIS to be stocked with T. esculenta and supports a lot of fish life. Italways seems to be patronised by one saddle-billed stork, and it alsohas a number of yellow-billed duck and knob-bill. .

It is about a mile off a main road and in dry weather is accessible bycar.

398.(iv) Kabulangiti.-This is a tiny dam about the size of a large pond,

and is close to a main road. It contains some ngege but is too small andexposed for waterfowl.

399·(v) Kikoma.-This is another small dam, which also contains ngege.

It has no duck and very few waterfowl. It is ab~ut a mile distant froma main road and in dry weather is accessible by car.

400.

(vi) Ntusi.-This is a delightful dam of fair size which is likely todouble or treble its expan~e in a really wet season. It has a fairly evendepth of several feet throughout and is full of ngege; male are also saidto be plentiful. A very attractive, large white water lily is abundant.

In addition to a few dozen knob-bill and a pair of yellow-billed duckit supports some extremely interesting waterfowl including the littlewater hen (Gallinula angulata) and the lesser purple coot (Porphyrioalleni). •

414. Lake Nabugabo.-Cand from time to time are obse:

r415. Lake Kyoga.-TIu:

slowly reviving, and althoughoutput in C\.uantity there is no _recover at the present rate ofof a skin was 45 lb., two tonow it is only 10 lb.

409. There are, un£woij

In the Damba to Kateboand over, and three of 12 f,males killed in the same areaand over, and three of '4 fe'The abundance of large males

In the Sese region the II(lO

one of 12 feet and over and OIl

breeding females was remarkabl(three of them less than 8 feet),

Outsize males killed in tlu:one 13 feet, one '3 feet 6 inclu:.

4 roo The tally of nests,to Katebo region, five of 70 orof 86.

411. Loan of Weapons.member of the public using a

. year destroyed a total of 461which is of inestimable benefitAt times this marksman alsomost effective and which hasoccasion its solid bullet had peithe eyes, travelled into the hlower jaw: another time the bwas smashed and had carried p'

4'2. Lake Nakavali.-V,·to take vigorous action agaiDuring January 29 crocodiles,and another of 14t feet, werefishing nets and contained 30will be found in paragraphs 3

Inconclusive" pois.oning eXI·

and nicotine.

413. Lake Kachira.-Itagainst the crocodiles in thisof a licence issued to a non-nati

9.420

9. 128

Eggsdestroyed

,69,84

Nests found

'5615 2

C~ed.il~killed

In 1947

(i) Control407. Lake Victoria.-During the months of August, September

and October, as well as part of November I the annual campaign againstfemale crocodiles on the breeding grounds was conducted as usual.

Sese operations were hampered considerably by late laying whichdid not commence until aiter mid-August; by a lot of nest destructionon the part of local fishermen which thereby enabled many breedingfemales to escape; and by numerous difficulties in the provision of a suitablelaunch. Notwithstanding all these troubles the results achieved can beconsidered satisfactory.

156 crocodiles were destroyed, almost the same number as I"'t year(15 2).

408. Crocodiles killed (IIljlinly breeding females), nests found, andeggs destroyed, were:-

4°1. This dam is about amile off the main road and is inaccessibleby car. About a quarter-of-a-mile before reaching the dam, and wellabove it) is a small subsidiary catchment which after heavy rain candevelop into a large pond. It is very overgrown with weed, contains nongege, and supports a few waterfowl including a pair of yellow-billed duck.

402 .

(vii) Kamengo (Biwolobo).--This is a fine dam of considerable extentwhich undoubtedly will expand a great deal. It is approached by a twomiles long track which should be passable for cars most of the year.·There are a lot of ngege but whether they are T. esculenta or T. niloticais not yet known. At certain seasons a lot of fishing is conducted withbasket traps. Evidently fish are plentiful as three fish eagles were 'een.

403. There is deep water near the embankment, and 13 white-backeddiving ducks frequented this part. EI..where there were a dozen spur­winged geese, a pair of hottentot teal, a few yellow-billed duck and oneknob-bill. Other waterfowl were present in considerable variety. Aquaticvegetation is v~.ried and interesting and includes blue water lilies inabundance, yellow water hyacinth, a tall thick-leaved plant with whiteflower spike and a certain amount of water cabbage (Pistia).

404.(viii) General.-Until water conditions sbow a substantial improVement

the development of fisheries in any of these dams is impossible.

(8) INTRODUCTIONS

405. During 1948 there have been no fish introductions.

(9) FISH TRANSFERS

406. Vide paragraph 358 Tilapia nilotica from Lake Nakavali havebeen transferred to two other emaIl lakes in South Ankole, e.g. Lake Mburoand Lake Mik~ra, in order to speed up stocking.

(lO) CROCOD!LES

64

I

•

1C main road and is inaccessiblerc r aching th dam, and well11 \\ hieh after heavy rain canrgrown wit h weeu, contains no

ing:l pair of veil v-hilled du k.

fine d"rn of con idera te extentdeal. I [ is approached by a two,able for cars most of the ye'lr.ley ,11' T. escufenla or T. ni/oticaL lot of fishing i. ond cted withI as three fi h eagle w rc seen..mbankment, and r3 whit -backedwhere there wen:: a dozen spur-few yello\\ -billed duck a donein cO;lsiderable variety. Aquatic

1d includes blue water lilies in1I thick-leaved ph'll1L with whiteIr cabbage (Pi.,tia).

IS show a slIb tantial improvementhe edam i imp s ibl

10 fish illlroduetions.

Ii/olico fr m Lake _"a.kavali haveIn outh Ankole, e.g. Lake Mburoi>cking.

'rotm ndu of August, S pt .mboor

her, rl e annu.al C,11 paign . ga.in t

;:; \ as conducted a..<; usual.nsidcrablv by lal hying whichl..lst; by ~ lot of 11 st de. tructionthereby enabled m<lny bree ling

:ulties in the provi ion of a suitableIble the re:;ults ehieved can be

65

409. There are, unfortunately plenty of 1 rge rocodile. st.ill left.In th Damba to I atebl> region large fern e~ kill d w re twelve of 1 t feetand ov r, and three of 12 feet :.mu over and t\ I) exec din r 13 feet. Large

lales killed ill the same area w re live of [2 e t an l ov r, :;even of J 3 fe.and over, and thr e of 14 f et and over lhe largest being 14 feet 2 inches.The abWldancc of larg ales in th e water is noteworthy.

In til Sese r gion the score was eight femal '5 of f 1 feet and over,on of 12 feet and. over and one of 13 feet. The numb r of small sizedbre din females was remarkable there being n less t n '7 h low 9 feet(three of them kss than 8eet), and sixt en between 9 feet: and 10 feeL.

Outsize males kill d in the same area wcr on. of f? feet 8 in 'hes,one 13 feet, one 13 feet 0 inches, an lone 14 feet (\ inl:h s.

4 TO. The tally of nests containing 70 ggs or over was: in th Dambat Ka ebo region, fi.ve of 70 or over: in Sese, eleven of 70 or vcr, and oneIJf 86.

411. Luan of Weapolls.-Vide paragraph 3+4, 1947. the samemember 0 the public sing a Gam Department weapon has dilring the.·e:lr d .:troyed a total of 4(n crocodile, a most s' tisfact ry performancewhich i .. of inestimable hen fit to the local inhabitant!>, and to th nsherie!>.At timc:-; this marhman als< used a high powered . 22 riR whIch pro 'edmost cffectiv ~md \. rhi 'h ha' remarb.hle powers of penetr;'.t.ion. On oneoec; .ion it· solJd LuUd had peneLraL d the rocodilc's b n.e mass betweenlhe eyes, travelled into the brlin ca\ ity, tum d and emer~ed through thelow r ja\ ; another ti ml: the hullet had gone thrcJllgh the • hOlilder whichwas mashed and h.ad c·a.rried pieces of hone int the lungs.

412. La!? Nafuwali.-Vide paragraph 357 't !la. been necessar.to t ke vi rouS action again:>t the numerous, destructive crocodiles.1 min Januar -I) crocodiles, one being a huge male 16 ~ fe l in lengthand alluther of q~ feet, ,\'(:re killed. The largest one had b en raidingfl. hin T nets and contailled 30 to 40 IIgege and pieces )f net. Furtherdetailswill I e found in. paraaraphs 33+-34-0 or the Fisl Culturist's n:port.

Incon. 'ltlt.ivc poisoning e~pt:riments \'Cre ITl<ldc with niwtinc. sulph·,t·at J njcotine.

cp3. Lah.e Kachira.-It has llot been posgihl' t( take 'olllrol me, ur"agaill~r th' crocodiles in this lake. 1]nfOrlllnatdy, no llse hag been madef a licence isslltd to a non-native 'ompany 1:() catdl crocodil.._:;.

414- Laft!' Nabugaho.-CrocodiJes still freqllent this popular re orta d from time to titll . re obserTed by visitors.

st the . arne number a' la~t year

eding fern e'), ne ts found, and

-csts found \[! TS

Jestroyed

(ii) Industly

'5. Lake Kyoga.-The Ld<e Kyoga crocodile skin industry IS

sl \\'ly reviving, an.d although it may be p s. ible to <Lpproadl pre\'ilJusoutput in quantity there is no doubt tILa quality haf declined and cannotrecover at the present rate of I·illing. Five" ears ago the average weightof a s.kin was 4 - lb., tw to three yers lat r it had fallen to half lhi!> weight,now it is am 10 lb.

66

(II) GENERAL NOTES

422. Maximum Weights ofF;

lhr.3- 4

30-3510-1 58-2 5

31

3"

Lake Victoria

Ngege8emutundu .. ,KasulubanaKi'linjaMaleMamha

+23. There is little outstarpossible exception of 25 lb. kisin)+' .lb. semutundu, 5 lb. to 6 lb. nge,+2 lb. mamba from Katwe.

+2+.(i) In the course of a visit

part of Lake Edward the Fish I

bagrus which had been caught ihave been a veritable monster I

immense fish was a male of 276 I(ii) The mystery fish, the "i

in paragraphs 492-+93'.'935,293 (iv), 19+6, is well-knowtl~tl

or eight are caught each~..2a bagrus and the tail of 11: . :recorded in paragraph 1,t~:t9l

species and those caug~_,,!was about 95 lb. It is fourtd DJ<i

(iii) Soft-backed Turtles (nbeen recorded from Lake Edwarin deep water.

+25. Fish Mortalily.-Noreceived from any of Uganda's lak.

It is believed that the ngege .. recorded in paragraph 297 (iiifof'

almost certainly due to a terrific lsaturated oxygen in the water to ;of oxygen. The blooming of cowjthe spirogira in its tum dies off, 81

is a filamentous alga.It is possible, though by no

mortality which occurs amongstdue to blooming of spirogira.

+26. East Ajri(an FreshrD,progress has been made withand severnl staff quarters haveconstruction. Two motor launl

'4-'6. The percentage of "button" skins continues to be high. Thereare certain authorities who insist, with some justification, that "button"crocodiles are specifically separahle: according to others "buttons" are dueto some defieiency in diet.

+'7. Semliki River.-Some exploratory work has been permitted inthis region under lieence, but few crocodiles have been caught as there arenumerous difficulties to be overcome. Skins from this loc.lity, however,average large.

(iii) General

+18. Congo Forest River Crocodile (Osteolaemus tetraspis).-Somewhatof a sensation was caused in October by the discovery of a small crocodilein a prospecting pit near the Hoindagi river which flows into Lake Georgefrom Ankole.

. The occurrence of a crocodile in this region which hitherto had beenbelieved to be crocodile-free naturally evoked considerable speculation andmisgiving. But actually there was no cause for alarm as it proved to bea species which is exclusively a river and not a lacustrine creature, andit can only breed under eertain conditions of semi-aquatic forest whichenable it to incubate its eggs in a mound of dead leaves and other vegetablematter, and their hatching is abandoned to the heat of fermentation.. Thisspecimen was moved to a more convenient pit where it was regularly fedand at the end of the year it was alive and flourishing. Some excellentphotographs were taken for purposes of reco.rd. As a result of comprehensiveenquiries there is reason to believe that this little crocodile also occursin some of the Ankole and Kigezi rivers which flow into Lake Edward.

+'9. AsWa (or Moroto) River Pigmy Crowdile.-Rcfcrencc has beenmade in previous Reports vide paragraphs .3'0-3 II, '929, paragraphs200-201, '93'1, and paragraphs 223-22+, '933, to a pigmy species ofcrocodile whic\> is found in eastern Uganda in the Aswa (or Moroto) riverand the Greek river.

Science has been reluctant to admit that these pigmies have specificstatus and prefers to regard them simply as dwarfing, due to environment,of Crocodilus niloticus.

4-20. In January, however, some eggs of the Aswa pigmy crocodilewere examined and it was found that they too were conspicuously dwarfedmeasuring only, in millimeters, 69'0 by +0'2 and 67'2 by +0'3, whichcontrast remarkahly with 80 by +9 millimeters, the average of the normalNile crocodile.

Also, the Nile crocodile averages about sixty eggs per nest, but thispigmy crocodile's "sitting" was only twelve eggs. One cannot help feelingthat the Aswa pigmy crocodile has developed into a definite species, orat least a recognisable race.

421. General.-At times one receives strange requests. This. yearthe Department was asked. to send by air to South Mrica three dozennewly hatched crocodiles! ,

The Department was prepared to comply with this request, butnothing further developed from the initial enquiry.

•.~

lj..

67

ilis continues to be high. There~me justification, that "button"~g to others "buttons" are due

1'1' work has been permitted inIII have been caught as there aretins from this locality, however,

rJ

•teolaemus tetraspis).-Somewhat1e discovery of a small crocodileer which fl~ws into Lake George

,region which hitherto had beenIred considerable speculation andlSe for alarm as it proved to be:I not a lacustrine creature, andIS of semi-aquatic forest which, dead leaves and other vegetable. the heat of fermentation. Thist pit where it was regularly fednd flourishing. Some excellenttEd As a result of comprehensive~.llttle crocodile also oecurs~'iJIlv into Lake Edward..~dile.-Reference has beenp)..f(llo-311, 1929, paragraphs. i933, to a pigmy species of

a in the Aswa (or Moroto) river

that these pigmies have specificIS dwarfing, due to environment,

~s of the Aswa pigmy crocodiletoo were conspicuously dwarfed40'2 and 67'2 by 40'3, whichLeters, the average of the normal

ut sixty eggs per nest, but this'e eggs. One cannot help feelingloped into a definite species, or

:s strange requests. This yearir to South Mrica three dozen!

k:omply with this request, butrquiry·

l

(11) GENERAL NOTES

422. Maximum Weights of Fish.-The heaviest fish recorded are:-

Lake Victoria Katwe Katunguru Kaianja------- -

lbs. lbs. Ibs. lbs.Ngege .'. 3- 4 3- 4 5- 6 •Semutundu ... ... 30-35 :13-35 35-41 ...Kasulubana ", , .. 10-1 5 8-10 8-10 ...Kisinja ... ... 8-25 8 10-30 ...Male ... ... 3' 3~-4° 3 1

Mamba ... ... 3' 4' 32 --40 .. .

423. There is little outstanding amongst these weights, with thepossible exception of 25 lb. kisi"ja from Lake Victoria; from Katunguru41 lb. semutu"du, 5 lb. to 6 lb. "gege, and 40 lb. mamba; and 40 lb. male and42 lb. mamba from Katwe.

42 4.(i) In the course of a visit to the Congo fisheries in the southern

part of Lake Edward the Fish Culturist was informed that, the heaviestbagrus which had been caught in a seine net weighed 346 lb.-it musthave been a veritable monster of truly exceptional size. Also, anotherimmense fish was a male of 276 lb.

(ii) The mystery fish, the ngiriso (or engiliso), which is referred toin paragraphs 492-493, 1935, paragraph 219, '937, and paragraph293 (iv), 1946, is well-known to the Belgians who say that about sevenor eight are caught each year. It is described as having the head ofa bagrus and the tail of a clarias, which is the exact opposite of what isrecordlOd in paragraph 219, 1937.. It is believed to be a deep waterspecies and those caught Jinve never been less than 80 lb., the heavie.was about 95 lb. It is found mostly along the northern coast.

(iii) Soft-backed Turtles (Trionyx sp.) whieh have not previouslybeen recorded from Lake Edward are sometimes c.ught by the Belgians,in deep water.

425. Fish Mortality.-No reports of fish mortality have beenreceived from any of Uganda's lakes or rivers.

It is believed that the ngege mortality in Lake Bunyonyi, which was. recorded in paragraph 297 (iii) of the 1946 Report, Part II, Fisheries, was

almost certainly due to a terrific blooming of spirogira which reduced thesaturated oxygen in the water to such an extent that the fish died for lackof oxygen. The blooming of course exhausts the oxygen in the water andthe spirogira in its turn dies off, so that the water soon clears. The spirogirais a filamentous alga.

It is possible, though by no means certain, that the periodical heavymortality which occurs amongst the Lake Albert Nile perch may also bedue to blooming of spirogira.

426. East Afman Freshwater Fisheries R...arch Orga"isatio".-Goodprogress has been made with the building programme, the Laboratoryand several staff quarters have been completed and others are underconstructi~n, Two motor launches. are in constant use,

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The principal investigation so far undertaken has been a preliminarysurvey of the fish population in the Jinja area of Lake Victor'a. This hasalready given indication of promising lines for ec"nomic developmentof the fisheries.

427. The Uganda Fish Marketing Corporation, Ltd.-Thi. is thePublic Utility Company which is referred to in paragraph.ij57 of the [94-7Report. The Uganda Fish Marketing Corporation, with a .capital of£50,000, in which the Protectorate Government holds the majority of9hares, was incorporated in OClober. The Corporation plans to operateat Lakes George, Edwac"l, Albert and Kyoga, as well as at sundry othersm~ller inland waters but not, for the present, on Lake. Victoria. Theobjects of the Corporatio."1 arc essentially to organise the processing andmarketing of fish and other lake products so that the African fishermenwill be assured of a steady long-term m'.rket for their catch at a fixed andfair price, There will be no interference with .the fishermen themselves,and the satisfactory development of Uganda's fishing industry is consideredto be of priluary importance.

The Game Warden ex officio is a Director of the Company andattended all but one of the Board meetings.

428. The Corl'0ration has acquired the fish and crocodile interestsof Ugand~. Lakes Ltd., a Company which was operating on Lake J(yoga,Lake Albert and Lake KijanebaloJa (Masaka). .

By the end of the year a nucleus of European staff had been engagedto carry on these various activities.

429. Fish Farming.-Preliminary investigations have been carriedout in an endeavour to find suitable localities in western Ankole and theadjacent portion h£ the Toro District in which free flowing streamslnightbe used to supply the necessary water for experimental fish farms. Onesuch locality exajUined in August at the Kilembe mining headquarters,at the foot of Ruwenwri, by the Game Warden and the Fish Culturistwas found to b~ most suitable, but, unfortunately, the contemplateddevelopment did not materialise.

430. A large business Concern owning plantations of considerableextent in several parts of Buganda has been constructing dams whereverpossible on its properties and stocking them with Tilapia eseulenta fromLake Victoria.

431. Fish Culture.-Little fish culture has been possible thoughthe few aquarium experiments conducted by the Fish Culturist haverevealed how voraciously Tilapia nilotiea feeds on water weed, and alsothat wherever this species occurs it will be the dominant tilapia.

432. Pelieans.-Pelicans play an important part in tbc economy ofthe shallower lakes which are well stocked with valuable food fishes, andin particular in parts of Lake Edward, Lake George and the KazingaChannel.

As tb.ese large, voracious birds are exclusively fish-eaters it lias beennecessary to investigate carefully the extent of the damage they may caUSeto local fishing industries,

~

433· Two species of~pelican-Peleeanus onocrotabuPeleeanus ru!eseens. The rosyproportion of these birdt moveon the other hand is r~entat a very great distance from the'breeding season Is during the fourAfrican breeding ground of the Iathe state of the sex organs of male!in July indicated breeding later in I

place during the October to· enda considerable lessening of rosy pelregion from November to February;

434· The pink-backed pclicatlof a number of specimens indicatesfisheries as its catch consists ~nl:which can well be spared, in fact ibird are to a great extent beneficial.

435· The rosy pelican on thethe economic fisheries, and it is esof these birds consumes at least onea formidable total. It is ~wn fJa single ,rosy pelican catches at Ie..ngege, per day, and, unfortunately, 'breeding females, as in Lake Ed~

grounds are in the shallows at· thetilapia breeding grounds.

436. The majority of tilapia ,pelicans are either fish about to spaiwith ova or fish carrying their broo<the damage caused to the valuable taassociated waters is incalculable.

4-37· During the years t937 toLake Naivasha in Kenya Colony incfijat least 11' IS pounds of fish, entirely

438. In consequence the pre.pelicans on the waters of Lake Ed"Channel for a greater part of the yeeconomic importance; worse still is thby day and night.

439· IsinglaJs.-IEinglass is a jwith certain valuable properties whiclJparticular it is used for fixing or clariJof great importance to the leather trad.cement. It is found in the walls ofas the "sound,. or "maw") of certainby weight when thoroughly dried, an,is much heavier and more valuable than t

69

lertaken has been a preliminaryL1'ea of Lake Victoria. This hasilea for economic development

CorporatiDn, Ltd.-This is theto in paragraph 357 of the r947.corporation, with ~ capital ofemment holds the majority ofe Corporation plans to operateyoga, as well as at sundry otherresent, on Lake. Victoria. The. t. organise the processing ands so that the African fishermenket for their catch at a fixed arid,-with the fishermen them,.elves,ill's fishing industry is considered

Director of the Company andI.

the fish and crocodile interests, was operating on Lake Kyoga,ta). .European staft had been engaged

~vest~gations have been carriedIities if! western Ankole and the~hich free flowing "treams might)r experimental fish farms. One, Kilembe mining headquarters,'Warden and the Fish Culturistnfortunately, the contemplated

~ng plantations of considerahleeen constructing darns wherever\em with Tilapia esculenta from

nrc has been possible thoughd by the Fish Culturist havefeeds on water weed, and alsothe dominant tilapia.

rtant part in the economy ofwith valuable food fishes, and. ke George and the Kazinga

usively fish-eaters it has beenof the damage they may cause

433. Two species of pelican occur in Uganda, the larger one or rosypelican-Pelecanus onocrotaEus and the lesser or pink-backed pelic.n­Peleconus rufescens. The rosy pelican is seasonally migratory, when a largeproportion of these hirds move away, probably to breed; the pink-backedon the other hand is resident and nests in colonies in trees, usually notat a verY great distance from the waters in which it ohtains its food. Itsbreeding season is during the four months August to November. No EastAfrican breeding ground of the larger species has yet been located, butthe state of the sex organs of males and females collected on Lake Georgein July indicated breeding later in the year, •.nd nesting is believed to takeplace during the October to end of January period. There is usuallya considerable fessening of rosy pelicans in the Lake Edward/Lake Georgeregion from November to February,

. 434. The pink-backed pelican is dealt with first '.s the examinationof a number of specimens indicates that it docs little harm to the economicfisheries as its catch consists mainly of a small sized predator· eichlid fishwhich can well be spared, in fact it is possible that the activities of thisbird are to a great extent beneficial. I

435. The rosy pelican on the other haJJd does incredible harm tothe economic fisheries, and it is estimated on reliable evidence that oneof these birds consumes at least one ton of valuable food fis," per annum,a formidable total. It is known from frequent local examinations thata single .rosy pelican catches at least 6 lb. of fish, mainly if not entirelyngege, per day, and, unfortunately, a Jarge proportion of these ngege arebreeding- females, as in Lake Edward these pelicans' favourite fishinggrounds are in the shallows at the mouths of rivers which are the maintilapia breeding grounds.

436~ The majority of tilapia which have been fo1l.nd ino.ide rosypelicans are either fish about to spawn or fish with the pharynx packedwith ova or fish carrying their broods in their mouths. In consequencethe damage caused to the valuable tilapia fishery of Lake Edward and itsassociated waters is incalculable.

437. During the years 1937 to 1941 investigations carried out onLake Naivasha in Kenya Colony indicated that the rosy pelican consumedat least 11'15 pounds offish, entirely tilapia, per day.

438. ln consequence the presence of a few thousands of rosypelicans on the waters of Lake Edward, Lake George and the KazingaChannel for a greater part of the year presents a problem of very greateconomic importance; worse still is the fact that the rosy pelicans fish bothby d.y and night.

439. Isinglass.-Tsinglass is a pure form of commercial gelatinewith certai~ valuable properties which are not found in other gelatines. Inparticular it is used for fixing or clarifying- beers and wines, and also it isof greal importance to the leather trade as it is the strongest known leathercement. It is found in the walls of the swim-bladder (otherwise knownas the Ilsound" or "maw") of certain species of fish. Sounds are boughtby weight when thoroughly dried, and normally the sound of the femaleis much heavier and more valuable than that of the male fish ofthesame species,

70

+40. The sound 1S eXlracted without stretching or tearing \vhen thefish IS gUlled; it is split with a sharp knife from end to end, and hand washedin running water to r"move all blood and attachml:nts of connective tissue.It is then air- or sun-dried until it is stiff and hard. An <werage price formixed sounds is about Rhs. R per lb., but the highest quality m.ay fetch:lS much a'l Rhs. 24 per Ih. Til,: higger and thicker the bladders, the higherthe price. The lucal production of s\\ im-bladders for isinglass would notonly conserve hard currency, but also would contribute to dollar earninRsby the export of increased quantities of the manufactured product to theUnited Statcs.

I. -\n examination of the sound.<; of the varioui'. species of fish\hich ,'rt found in Lake Edward and its associated \\'aters indicates that

the SI'II/l/tUUtlll (Bagrus dOC1T111r) is 1he only onc which prrJ\'ides asatisfactorybladder. :\s a by-product the cullection of its :,ound might be worth while,though the price otTercd of Sh. 1/9d. per lb. deltvered in the UnitedKingdom is unattractive, rcprc~enting as it does a local price of only Sh. J

per Ih. The bladder::: of l1IorlllYrus and hnrbus arc of good quality, but to~maU, and as the supply is extremely limited their collection is not aneconomic propositIon. ('/arias blRdders are small and llsdess. the soundof this fi$h is in the skull.

+42. :\t the end of the year, in addition to the Seml/fllndll materialpreviously sent to the Colonial Fisheries Adviser, a com:ignment ofbladders from some of the larger Lake :\lbcrt species waR submitted forc xpt::rt examinat ion and report.

Th~ ~ile per(1) (La(e~ n/bertia7lIls) sound is large and providesisingla'is of high quality, and the trade is prepared to pay Shs. 4 to Shs. 5pt'r lb. for these bladders.

The ~<:aehol1e (Dislirhodus lli/otiCliS) also has a valuable sound, hutlarger samples will have to be submitted before it can be priced.

443. The air bladJers of the 1IIpoi (Cirlzari1J/ls citherus), waIJrilld/(Synodenlis seIJal1) and Iwruha (Lnheo horie) are of no commercial value.L mil the proce~sjng of the catches from Lakl: Edward and Lake Alberti!i properly organised there can Iw no satisfactory development in tilproducl ion of dried soumb.

+++ Id('1lI({iwti()/ls.-Some small sized ti/apia caught in the little:raler lakl ;..; iungu, Tll:ar the Ca~holic 1\lission at Kichwamba and the roadto Katunguru, have been identified with Ti/apia trewavasae at the British:Vluscum C\atur£ll History). Th.is crater lake is not connected with eitherLake Edward or Lake George. There is considerable confusion of idcntityof the tilapias which. arc found in the various crater lakes in western Ankolcand in Toro, and it appears that frewavasae in its various forms is so closeto Ti/apia edllardiallu that it is m fact a form of this species. Moreover,Tilapuj fJunrdiana and T. /ellcosticta may prove to ue the same. In Lake~illngu T. trewm.iOS{l(' is vcry black. This species also occurs in Lake

Tsunga not far fronl Fort Portal, and in Lhe Hritish I\Iu!oiC'um collection atouth Kt'nsington there are also specImens from a crater lake. at an

altitude of 3,500 fect. near Mohokva

..

71

(C) AnglingTROUT

445·(i) Brown Trout.-Y:o reports ha c been received f either conditions

or catches from the Ruwenzori streams.

+46.(ii) Rainbo'zv Trout-

(a) Buhwa Ri-ver.-Fishing generally has been poor, and r -stockingwith r'linbow "fry" from Stellenbo ch (S JUth Africa) ova IS

contemplated h_ the Suam and Kaptega Angling Association.

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C. R. S. PITMAN,Game IVanten.ENTEBBE,

28Tlt FlmnUARY, 1950.

45°·(iii) Trout Licences.-The re"enue derived from the sal of Trout

Licences amounted t £28 19s., which is an eighty-three pe cent.increase on last year,

4S I. Nile Percb or lV/pUla-Late albertiwlU '.- 0 definite ne '8 las

l een received about Nile prch fisl ing which, however, is believed to bestill indifferent.

+52. Ripon Falls Barbel.-Fair sport has heen had below the RiponFall , and at the 0, ren Falls, by local enthusiasts ::l.11d visitOl s.

453. Tilapia- ariabilis.-Angling for Tilapia 'i;ariabilis above theRipon Fall~ at Jinja continues to provide a profitable pastime for 111..11nerOUS

African". It is remarkable how contemptuous the'e fishermen are f theabundant lurking crocodiles, as they make a prdctice of wading far out intothe shallow water wh~re they will stand for hours 011 end horefully angLing.Although casualties occur this does not deter the others from a king forthe same tro lble.

447·(b) Suam River.-In the Suam also fishing has been p( or, and

r -stocking is co tcmplaLed. At the end of the year when conditionswere said to be ideal angl 'fS found fish scarce, and those takenaverag d ~'- lb., the best being I lb.

4-48.(c) Siti Riur.-_ lothin to report.

449. 8uam and Kapll1ga Angh'ng A 'sociatioll-Honorwy Members.­The Suam and Kaptega Angling Association has invited the County hil~f

of Sebei, the Gombolol Chief f Buhya and the Muluka Chief, 'uam,to h . orne H0110rary Iembers of the Association, a privile e which is verygreatly appreciated by the trio cone med.

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