THE ROAN ANTELOPE 7 5 



the atmosphere of mystery which for long" years 

 shrouded its very existence, together with the 

 interest which attaches to it for its own sake, it 

 will be admitted that few of the splendid animals 

 of Africa can rival Hippottagus equinus in interest: 

 while the beast itself occurs in so many phases — 

 brown, grey or reddish in the south, rufous on the 

 West Coast, and mouse colour on the Upper 

 Nile — that one may well apply to it (after altera- 

 tion) the famous words of the Roman poet : 



" Varium et mutabile semper 



