338 TO THE UASIN GISHU [ch. xii 



which we did not want. There were one or two big 

 bushbuck rams, but they broke back through the 

 beaters ; and so did two bushbuck ewes and one reed- 

 buck ewe, one of the bushbuck ewes actually knocking 

 down a beater. They usually either cleared out while 

 the beaters were still half a mile distant, or else waited 

 until they were almost trodden on. The bushbuck 

 rams were very dark coloured ; the hornless ewes and 

 the young were a brilliant red, the belly, the under side 

 and edges of the conspicuous fluffy tail, and a few dim 

 spots on the cheeks and flanks being white. Although 

 these buck frequent thick cover, forest, or swamp, and 

 trust for their safety to liiding, and to eluding observa- 

 tion by their stealthy, skulking ways, then coloration 

 has not the smallest protective value, being, on the 

 contrary, very conspicuous in botli sexes, but especially 

 in the females and young, who most need protection. 

 Bushbuck utter a loud bark. Tlie hoofs of those we 

 shot were very long, as is often the case with water- 

 loving, marsh-frequenting species. There is a curious 

 collar-like space around the neck, on which there is no 

 hair. Although, if anything, smaller than our wliite- 

 tail deer, the bushbuck is a vicious and redoubtable 

 fighter, and will charge a man without hesitation. 



The last day we were at the 'Nzoi the porters 

 petitioned for one ample meal of meat, arxd we shot 

 a dozen buck for them — kangani, kob, and singsing. 

 One of the latter, a very fine bull, fairly charged Kermit 

 and his gun-bearer when they got within a few yards of 

 it, as it lay wounded. This bull grunted loudly as he 

 charged ; the grunt of an oryx under similar circum- 

 stances is almost a growl. On this day both Kermit 

 and I were led to bee trees by honey-birds, and took 

 some of the honey for lunch. Kermit stayed after his 



