NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



their endurance and great tenacity of life. The 

 Blue Wildebeest is not lacking in this respect, indeed 

 it possesses a larger share of vitality than many of 

 the others, for all hunters agree that even when 

 seriously wounded it will succeed in escaping even 

 from a well-mounted man. 



These animals feed principally at night, and are 

 ever on the alert against their arch enemy, the Lion. 

 So long as there is sufficient pasturage and water, 

 and provided they are not persecuted, a herd will 

 remain in the same locality and not attempt to 

 wander off. The feeding grounds of each herd 

 seem to be carefully marked off ; and any encroach- 

 ment of one herd on the domain of another is strongly 

 resented. In this connection Major J. Stevenson- 

 Hamilton in his Animal Life in Africa says : " Any 

 infringement of the grazing rights appears to be 

 strongly resented ; and I was once witness of a most 

 remarkable episode when the herd bull of a certain 

 troop chased a party of invaders back on to their own 

 ground on the other side of a small stream, returning 

 quietly to his own party as soon as his duty was done. 

 Not the least remarkable phase of the incident was 

 the sense of wrong-doing exhibited by the tres- 

 passers, who displayed not the smallest tendency 

 to offer any resistance." 



These antelopes are very swift and hardy as well 

 ' as courageous. Like some other species of the larger 

 antelopes, they often fall victims to the hunter's 

 rifle by pausing during their flight to gaze at him. 



26 



