312 ANTELOPES 



found in small parties : a bull, two or three cows, and their young. 

 But in the West Nyasa high, open grass -country (locally known as 

 ' vipsha ') I have frequently found old bulls living an apparently 

 solitary life ; and I have seen as many as twenty-five eland in one 

 herd. Eland are not fast ; and, even when thoroughly disturbed and 

 alarmed, may often be overtaken by a good runner, as they are given 

 to stopping in their flight to stand and look back. They are quiet 

 and harmless beasts, even when wounded ; I have never seen a 

 wounded eland make any attempt at offensive action. They are very 

 different in this respect from many other antelope, especially sable 

 and roan, which are fierce and dangerous at close quarters when 

 wounded. As soon as the morning sun becomes powerful, eland like 

 to get into shade, and often spend the mid-day hours under some 

 leafy tree, their tails in constant motion flicking the flies off their 

 backs. When among trees, this whisking of the tail is some- 

 times the first thing which catches the eye, and warns one of their 

 presence." 



The following observations on East African eland were written 

 by Mr. F. J. Jackson, in 1890, after the great outbreak of rinder- 

 pest : — 



" Eland can, I believe, like most, if not all, antelopes and gazelles 

 which frequent the open plains, go for two or three days, perhaps 

 more, without drinking; the heavy dew that falls during the night 

 being enough for their requirements. At all events, I have seen a 

 particular herd two or three days running in exactly the same spot 

 and a long way from water, both in the late evening and again early 

 next morning, and found no water in the stomachs of those I killed. 

 They affect park-like and sparsely timbered country and the open bush 

 so often found bordering the plains, rather than the plains themselves, 

 but seek safety and beat a retreat to the open plains when disturbed. 

 Rinderpest carried off the great majority of them at the same time 

 that it swept off the buffalo ; and they are now no longer so common 

 as they were. They are, however, on the increase, as a few have been 

 shot within the last two years near Kilimanjaro, and between Kibwazi 

 and Machakos ; and I have heard on trustworthy authority of several 

 fair-sized herds having been seen in these places. Since these were all 

 within a few miles of the main road to Uganda, it is possible that they 

 may be on the increase in the almost uninhabited country north of 

 Kilimanjaro. There is also a fair number to be found north of Lake 

 Baringo on the road to Lake Rudolf. Eland are at all times local, 

 and appear to be partial to one particular spot, within a very short 



