270 



UNGULATES. 



descending from a dark stripe on the back. The degree of distinctness of these 

 stripes varies greatly in different individuals ; and frequently in this variety there 

 is a white stripe across the nose, while there is always a dark patch on the inner 

 side of the knee. Mr. Crawshay states that in Nyasaland, among a single troop, 

 individuals may be seen varying from a light tawny yellow to a slaty blue in very 

 old age, while in some the stripes are clearly defined, in others faintly, and in 

 others again they are not distinguishable at all. An average-sized bull eland shot 

 by Mr. Selous stood 5 feet 9 inches at the withers, but some specimens are doubt- 

 less taller. Mr. Drummond states that the average weight varies from 800 to 

 1100 lbs., but that in old bulls it may reach 1400 or even 1500 lbs. The average 

 length of the horns may be set down at 25 inches for bulls and 26 inches for cows; 

 but Mr. Selous has recorded a length of 30 inches in the former and 34 inches in 

 the latter. In old bulls the horns may be worn down to less than a foot in 

 length. 



The eland was formerly distributed over all Southern and 

 Eastern Africa, but has now disappeared from the Cape Colony, 

 Natal, the Orange Free State, Griqualand West, and the Transvaal. A few years 

 ago these antelopes were, however, abundant in the districts between the Chobi 

 and Zambesi Rivers, as well as in the country to the north of the latter ; while 

 they are still plentiful in parts of Nyasaland, and are not uncommon in the 

 Kilima-Njaro district. Their complete extirpation is, however, probably merely a 

 matter of time ; the animal being slaughtered on account of its hide. 



Eland are found both in the desert -country, and in wooded 

 Habits. ... 



districts, both hilly and flat. In Nyasaland Mr. Crawshay says 



that their favourite haunts are undulating, well-timbered country, where the 



grass is not too long, and where there are intervening open plains ; as a rule, they 



visit the plains at night or in the early mornings to drink, and then wander back 



long distances to the forest, where they spend the hot hours of the day. In the 



great Kalahari Desert, where they are still common, Mr. Selous states, however, 



that eland go a long period without drinking any water, except that which they 



may obtain by eating water-melons and other plants. Eland are generally found 



in large herds, numbering from fifty to upwards of a hundred head, but solitary 



bulls or small parties of bulls are not unfrequently observed. 



Elands are generally accompanied by " rhinoceros birds," which, in addition 



to their natural timidity, make them difficult to approach on foot. Consequently 



they are generally hunted on horseback. The bulls, when fat, can be easily ridden 



down by a good horse ; but the cows have greater speed and staying power. 



When pursued, eland frequently leap high in the air. The calves are born in July 



and August ; and it appears that the females do not breed of tener than once in 



every two years, so that the rate of increase is slow. When they have their calves 



with them, the cows will attack and impale dogs on their horns ; but at other 



seasons both sexes are quite harmless. Mr. Selous states that the flesh of the 



eland has been very generally over-estimated ; and during the dry season, when 



these animals often subsist entirely upon leaves, it is quite uneatable. In captivity 



the eland breeds freely; and it was at one time considered that it might be 



profitably acclimatised in England. 



