472 AFRICAN GAME ANIMALS 



scent and leopards only occasionally kill an eland calf, the lion 

 is the only foe that need be considered. On the rare occasions 

 when lions hunt by day they do sometimes use their eyes. 

 Governor Jackson has described a party of lions hunting 

 eland by sight. But, unless wounded, the eland, though far 

 less conspicuous in color than zebra, hartebeest, or wilde- 

 beest, and even than oryx or roan, makes no more effort to 

 hide than any one of these, its constant companions. It 

 never crouches or slinks, or seeks to take advantage of cover 

 like a bushbuck or oribi. A herd rests like cattle, lying down 

 or standing; and always there is some little play of ears or 

 tail, sufficient to insure the attention of any beast of prey 

 which is on the lookout in the neighborhood. Moreover, the 

 elands lie down or stand resting during the heat of the day, 

 when no beast of prey is abroad. In the morning and after- 

 noon they are feeding; they then make no effort to hide, and 

 are sure to be seen by any watchful foe which is trusting to 

 its eyes for success. Ordinarily lion trust far more to nose 

 than eyes, until close up, when the shade or markings of the 

 coat becomes utterly unimportant. At night, especially on 

 the very dark nights when the lion is boldest, probably his 

 sense of smell is his only guide until he makes his final rush; 

 and, in any event, on such a night all colors seem alike. 

 Therefore, although the eland's coloring, like that of the wild 

 ass or male Grant gazelle, is probably more concealing than 

 that of any of the other antelopes or of the zebras, it has no 

 effect whatever on the animal's habits, and probably in actual 

 practice is of no consequence to it, one way or the other, as 

 regards its foes. At any rate, the coloration is not a factor 

 of survival value. The stripes, which closet theorists have 

 treated as of concealing value in the eland, are of no con- 



