264 



NATURAL SCIENCE. 



JUNE, 



48 inches round the spiral, but Captain Swayne has seen a pair which 

 measured as much as 56 inches. 



As already stated, the Lesser Koodoo lives on much lower 

 ground than its larger brother, and likes to be near water if possible. 

 It has strong hind quarters, and is a great jumper, the white bushy 

 tail flashing over the aloe clumps as it courses away in great bounds. 

 Captain Swayne considers the Lesser Koodoo, with its brilliant 

 markings, as quite the most beautiful of all the Somali Antelopes. 



The remaining feature in the Antelope fauna of Somali-land to 

 which I propose to call attention is the presence of a fine species of 

 the Oryx group, known as the Beisa (Oryx heisa), which is widely 

 distributed all over the country. The Beisa, a very well-marked 

 species of the group, was first discovered by Riippell in the 

 mountains of Abyssinia, but is now ascertained to extend all over 

 Somali-land. In the Kilima-njaro district, where it was formerly 

 supposed to be also found, it is replaced by a nearly allied form with 

 tufted ears, which Mr. Oldfield Thomas has recently proposed to call 

 Oryx calotis.^^ 



The Beisa, as Captain Swayne informs us, keeps chiefly to open 

 stony grounds and grassy plains, but may be found in all kinds of 

 country except thick jungles and cedar forests. They are met with 

 in herds of moderate size, which are chiefly composed of cows, while 

 the bulls are frequently seen scattered singly about the country. 

 Captain Swayne gives us an interesting account of the hunting of the 

 Beisa by the Midgans, an outcast race, who pursue this Antelope 

 with packs of savage yellow pariah dogs, for the details of which we 

 must refer our readers to his interesting paper. '5 



Besides the conspicuous and more noticeable Antelopes already 

 mentioned, several other smaller forms of this group of Ruminants 

 are met with in Northern Somali-land, as will be seen by the 

 following list, in which the names are given in systematic order : — 



List of the Antelopes of Northern Somali-land. 



1^ Proc. Zool. Soc, 1892, p. 195. 



1^ " Field Notes on the Antelopes of Northern Somali-land," Prar. Zool. Soc, 

 1892 (May 3rd). 



