PUKU 215 



kob, or merely a melanistic individual of that species, remains to be 

 determined ; but I am inclined to think it will prove to be the 

 last-named. 



THE PUKU OR PUKU KOB 



{Cobus vardoni) 



Iinpuku, Masubia ; Mutinya, Barotsi ; Scula, Chilala 

 AND ChIBISA 



(Plate vii, fig. 7) 



Discovered, like its near ally the lechwi, during one of 

 Livingstone's expeditions, this antelope differs from the true kob by 

 the uniformly rufous legs, as well as by the greater length of the 

 hair, especially on the back and loins, where it displays a marked 

 tendency to curl. The general colour is bright reddish yellow, with 

 a certain amount of black hairs on the face ; and the ears have 

 black tips. 



The typical puku stands about 39 or 40 inches at the shoulder, 

 and weighs about 190 lb.; while its record horn-length is 2o|^. 



The species has a wide range in the Chobi and Zambesi valleys 

 (Barotsiland) and Rhodesia. 



From the typical race has been separated the puku inhabiting 

 the Senga district in the Loangwe valley, north-west of Lake Nyasa, 

 under the name of Cobus vardoni senganiis. Slightly smaller than 

 the typical race, the Senga puku has the general colour deeper, and 

 a more decided black tinge on the head of the female. The race was 

 originally described in the Book of Antelopes ; but specimens from 

 Barotsiland have been referred to it by the present writer on p. 794 

 of the Zoological Society's Proceedings for 1899. These differed from 

 the type by having a white ring above each hoof ; and the buck 

 showed no sign of extra blackness on the head. 



On p. 283 of the volume of the Zoological Society's Proceedings 

 already referred to, the present writer gave the name of C. v. 

 loderi to a puku -like skull in the collection of Sir E. G. Loder, 

 characterised by the length and stoutness of the horns and the 

 relative shortness of the skull. Whether this specimen really indicates 

 a puku, or whether it is referable to the black lechwi, is still uncertain. 



The following account of the puku is, with some slight verbal 

 alterations, from the pen of Mr. F. C. Selous : — 



