With l-lashli'>ht and Ritic •»> 



depths of the ant-liill, and therein, owing to the extmordi- 

 nary solidity of ant-architecture, is lost for ever to the 

 hunter. 



As I expected, crowds ot the bigger mammals are 

 now visible which in the daytime keep tar away from 

 the water. In the hilly country we come from time to 

 time u|)()n grassy prairies, very different from the arid 

 velt. Little herds of Grants gazelles {(ia.ze//a granti), 

 are to be met with. d'hev show themselves confidinpf. 

 go slowly in tront ot us, and, once put to tiight, 

 cut most characteristic capers, tor ever changing in 

 direction. ])ut this apparently aindess beginning brings 

 them soon, in a wide half-circle, below our wind, and I 

 take this behaviour theretbre to be a manoeuvre peculiar 

 to themselves and carefully planned out by them. 



When a herd of these Grant's gazelles move on ahead 

 ot us, the bucks are wont to bring up the rear, with 

 stittly-held heads and \-ery dignitied steps. Their heavy, 

 wide-spreading horns, upon their extraordinarily strong, 

 short necks, give them a sort of dignity. The females 

 ol this species are more than usually cautious and timid. 

 So tar as I can see, they have young ones with them 

 all the year through. These young ones are suckled by 

 the mother, hidden in the lone eniss ; but when the herd 

 takes to tiight the young ones accompany their elders. 



In one of the deeperdying parts of the velt we now 

 find a herd of big tawny antelopes. They are harte- 

 beests {Ihtbalis cokci) — \\\;\\. remarkable, overgrown, ugly 

 type which surpasses even the gnu in vitality and insensi- 

 bilit\- to gunshot wounds. 



