SIG OR S WA ] 'NE'S HA R TE BREST i o i 



THE SIG OR SWAYNE'S HARTEBEEST 



{Biibalis swaynei") 



Sig, Somali ; Korkei, Galla 



(Plate iv, fig. 5) 



This species is the Somali representative of the tora, with which 

 it agrees closely as regards the characters of the horns and their 

 pedicles, but differs notably in the matter of colour. The general hue 

 is light reddish chocolate-brown, with the tips of the hairs white ; but, 

 with the exception of the muzzle and the middle line, the face is black, 

 as are also the shoulders, the upper part of the fore-legs, and a patch 

 on each thigh. The shoulder-height has been given at 47 inches and 

 the weight at 300 lb., and the record horn-length is 20^ inches. 



The Hand plateau of northern Somaliland is the type locality 

 of the species, which in East Somaliland is represented by a race 

 {Btibalis sivaynei noacki) distinguished by its deeper and more purple- 

 red colour, comparable to that of the tiang, and the less sharply defined 

 dark blaze on the face, which thus presents a less striking contrast to 

 the general colour. 



Colonel H. G. C. Swayne, in whose honour the species was 

 named, writes that " in Somaliland hartebeests are found on the 

 elevated country, either in the open, treeless grass-plains, known as 

 ' ban,' or in the light fringe of prairie-land, dotted with low thorn- 

 bushes, which forms a belt round the edges of these plains. There 

 are none on the plains near Zeyla, or on those of the Esa country ; 

 for, though conditions appear in other respects favourable for harte- 

 beests, the grass is probably not of the right kind in these lower 

 plains. 



" In the Marar prairie and other great open tracts which occur 

 in the vast thorn-forests of the waterless Haud plateau they were up 

 to 1893 numerous, running in herds of five hundred or sometimes 

 even a thousand, packed closely together, and looking like masses of 

 cavalry. Many herds could be seen at a time, so that probably ten 

 thousand head might be within sight at once. Hundreds of single 

 bulls would at the same time be scattered over the plains betv/een the 

 herds, grazing or lying down, while a few herds of beisa oryx and 

 Sommerring's gazelle might also be visible. The plains are dotted 



