With Flashlight and Rifle -* 



Extraordinarily short and thick-set in appearance, these 

 antelopes are possessed of desperately dangerous weapons 

 in their horns, so that they have nothing whatever to 

 fear, even from leopards. 



They care as little for the mountains as the gnu does — 

 and, indeed, are essentially animals of the plains. Of a 

 timid disposition, they avoid inhabited regions as far as 

 possible. I tound quite matured calves in December. 

 Their mothers cleverly keep the rest of the herd at a 

 distance from themselves and the youngsters, as I once was 

 able to observe, when the handsome creatures are playing 

 a kind of war-game with each other, in which the isolated 

 animals parry the playful thrusts of their comrades with 

 their pointed and formidable horns. Like the gnus, they 

 show a marked partiality for the society of zebras. Quite 

 often I found these oryx, especially solitary bulls, resting 

 in the daytime on little open spaces in the midst of 

 spreading sueda-bushes. 



All the oryx are likewise among the toughest of wild 

 animals ; only a very well-placed shot will dispose of 

 one of them. 



The beautiful gemsbok has never, so far as I know, 

 reached Europe alive. 



Antler-bearing ruminating animals are entirely unknown 

 in Africa, with the sole exception of two species of deer 

 at the extreme north of the continent. Some kinds of 

 waterbuck {Cobiis) are strikingly like the deer tribe 

 in their habits, demeanour, and general conduct, the 

 females especially bearing a marked resemblance to the red- 

 deer. The male water-bucks carry a stately head-ornament 



500 



