342 AFRICAN GAME ANIMALS 



hounds, and doubtless would do the like against wild beasts 

 if given the chance. It is said on occasions to beat off the 

 lion. We saw nothing to indicate that such a feat, if it ever 

 occurs, is usual. The lions along the Northern Guaso Nyiro 

 were killing oryx and zebra indifferently, and there was 

 nothing in the record left by and around the carcasses to 

 show that there was more of a struggle in one case than in 

 the other. The lion's attack is normally a surprise, a furious 

 rush at close quarters, and a grapple before the quarry has 

 a chance to flee or fight; and once he has hold, especially 

 if one paw is on the head or neck, the chance for resistance 

 from an antelope no bigger than an oryx is at an end. 

 Moreover, the antelope's aim is to escape, not to fight. The 

 lion's life — that is, his dinner — depends on his killing the 

 antelope; whereas the antelope's life depends, not on his 

 killing, but on his escaping from the lion; so that the ante- 

 lope's whole energies are bent on getting away, and unless 

 this is impossible he makes no fight. If a cow with a very 

 young calf discovered a lion in time she might oppose the 

 beast, and then, being on her guard, her lance-like horns 

 might make it very dangerous for her assailant. 



The Ibean beisa oryx is somewhat intermediate be- 

 tween the Abyssinian beisa and the fringed-eared oryx. It 

 may be distinguished from the former by its much grayer 

 color, which lacks the vinaceous or pinkish wash, and by 

 the gray of the sides extending below the black lateral line, 

 the latter not forming the boundary between the white 

 under-parts and the gray sides. From the fringed-eared 

 oryx it may be distinguished by its grayer coloration, lack 

 of pencillate or tasselled ears and posterior situation of the 

 dorsal hair whorl on the rump. The dark head markings 

 are variable. Usually the dark preocular stripe terminates 

 freely without joining the dark face blaze or the throat stripe, 



