THE BIG GAME OF AFRICA 



soft-nosed bullet had not expanded, the distance being too 

 great, but had gone clear through the upper part of 

 the heart; yet the hartebeest had been able to gallop off 

 as if nothing had happened. It was in very fine condition, 

 was carefully measured and skinned, and afterwards given 

 to the American Museum of Natural History in New York 

 City. 



The most common of hartebeests in British East Africa 

 is the Cook's, or, as he is very often called, both by sports- 

 men and natives, the " Kongoni," which is certainly one 

 of the most ungainly looking animals. The color of the 

 kongoni is of a dark reddish brown, merging in the flanks 

 and belly into an almost ash gray. He stands in propor- 

 tion higher over the withers than the Jackson's hartebeest, 

 and has a pronounced " hump " on the shoulders. This 

 animal may still be seen in large herds in most parts of 

 central and southern East Africa, and I have counted as 

 many as three to four hundred feeding closely together. 

 The kongoni loves the company of other game, and is 

 often seen browsing among large herds of zebra and 

 wildebeest. 



Few animals are as inquisitive as the hartebeest. In 

 localities where he has not been much hunted, he will run 

 up to within one hundred and fifty yards or less of the 

 hunter, then whirl around and face the two-legged in- 

 truder for a while, tossing his head quickly up and down. 

 If the sportsman stands still, the kongoni might remain 

 in the same position for several seconds, until he again 

 swings around, makes a half circle, and returns to view 

 the visitor in the same way. In localities where he has 

 been much disturbed he will not show as much curiosity 



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