THE BLACK WILDEBEEST 



with each other and perform the most remarkable 

 evolutions around the intruder at a greater or lesser 

 distance. Gordon Gumming fully describes these 

 curious antics in his book. 



In common with most other large South African 

 antelopes, the Wildebeest is attacked by the Bot- 

 fly, and is victimised in the same manner as the 

 Cape Hartebeest in the way already described. 

 The Black Wildebeest is a curious-looking beast with 

 a head resembling that of a cow, a horse-like body, 

 and the feet of an antelope. 



The height of an adult male at the shoulder is 

 3 feet 6 inches to 4 feet. The general colour of the 

 hair is deep umber-brown or rich chocolate-brown, 

 passing into black. An upright, stiff mane is present 

 along the ridge of the neck ; an upwardly directed 

 patch of black hair stands on the face ; a bigger patch 

 grows from the chin and throat, and a third between 

 the fore-legs. The tail is horselike, the long hairs 

 being abundant, long and white. The female is 

 smaller than the male and is horned, but, like the 

 horns of the females of other species of antelopes, 

 they are not so robust as those of the male. 



The mammae, like those of the domestic cow, 

 are four in number. The eyes are wild and fierce- 

 looking, and in size and shape resemble those of an 

 ox, and are surrounded with long white bristles 

 which also occur upon the nostrils. 



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