172 EINAR LONNBERG, MAMMALS COLLECTED BY THE SWEDISH ZOOLOGICAL EXPEDITION ETC. 
The first Gerenuks were seen by this expedition among scattered groups of 
bushes, and in patches of thornbush on the steppe around Lekiundu river south of 
Guaso Nyiri. In the thornbush country north of the latter river the Gerenuks were 
common. They were usually seen in small families from three to about seven, but 
sometimes also single. Good bucks, which are very much larger than the does and 
the young bucks, are by far not numerous compared with the other specimens. Some- 
times I did not see a good buck for several days, although not a day passed without 
that a good many Gerenuks of small size were observed. The best buck which I 
saw and succeeded to shoot was single. The habits of these peculiar antelopes have 
been repeatedly and correctly described (conf. the quotations in the »Book of Ante- 
lopes», and in LYDEKKER’s >The Game Animals of Africa», etc.). The Gerenuks are 
wary, and in some places even shy, so that they do not admit the shooter at a 
shorter range than about 300 m., and as they, as a rule, only show their long nar- 
row necks they are then by no means an easy target. In the thicker thornbush 
north of Guaso Nyiri they were less shy, and to a certain extent even curious. In 
the grey and leaf-less thornbush the stalking sportsman or naturalist often sees at 
some distance two or three vertical rufous streaks; that is the erect necks of some 
Gerenuks which stare for some moments at the intruder in their dominion. If they 
are within reasonable range it is time to shoot, although the bodies are entirely hid- 
den and the necks narrow. But if one moves to continue the stalk the Gerenuks 
dive down with their necks below the bushes and disappear. As a rule they do not 
go straight away, but oftener their »long crouching trot» carries them obliquely to- 
wards one side or the other. If the sportsman sees the direction, and the thornbush 
is not too thick, they may often be intercepted by making a short cut because, as 
a tule, they do not go very far before the rufous necks appear again behind some 
bush. This may be repeated a couple of times before they disappear completely, or 
it has been ascertained that there is no good buck in the little flock. 
The Gerenuk is in a marvelous manner adopted to the life in the thornbush. 
Its slender form enables it to slink through narrow openings in the bush, and its 
sleek coat does not catch in the thorns. The skin is rather thin, except on the neck 
of the buck where it is thick, but of a soft and elastic, almost rubber-like consis- 
tency, unlike other antelope skins. 
The Gerenuk is a browser feeding on the leaves, tender shoots, and, during the 
dry season at least, to great extent on the berries of the different kinds of bushes. 
Their long and slender legs, long and narrow necks, long, hairy and movable lips enable 
them to reach high up in the bushes, especially when they rise on the hind legs as 
they often do. I have had the pleasure of seeing that myself, and I am thus able 
to testify that the figure reproduced on p. 232 in Vol. III of »Book of Antelopes» 
depicts two very characteristic attitudes of this interesting animal. There is a very 
striking analogy in the shape, not only of the neck and head, but also of the lips 
between a Giraffe and a Gerenuk. Thanks to this wonderful adaptation the Gere- 
nuk is able to sustain itself on such dainty material in this barren-looking desert as 
the thornbush appears to be during the dry season, that its intestinal canal, as I 
