SASSABY (DAMALISCUS I.UNATAS). IOI 



SASSABY (Damaliscus lunatas*). 



(Sometimes called Tsessebe.) 



Native Names. 



Chibisa Mtengo. Chiwemba . . Mtengo maroli. 



No words in other languages mentioned, not occurring in those countries. 



Food. 

 Grass feeder. 



Spoor. 

 Like hartebeest, but a little smaller. 



Habitat. 

 Large open flats or dambos. Do not go into cover at all during the heat of the 

 day or even when wounded, but may lie up under the shade of small isolated trees or 

 bushes in the open. 



Habits. 



Found in enormous herds, perhaps over a thousand grazing together. They are 

 in reality a number of smaller herds grazing in the same place. 



This immense number can be seen grazing and walking in one direction with all 

 their heads pointing the same way on the large open plains they frequent. 



There ought never to be any diflficulty in bringing a wounded animal to bag 

 unless very slightly wounded or it is late in the evening. 



They are as tough to kill as their relatives the hartebeest, but, as they never 

 take to cover, they can be followed at a distance of perhaps a mile and observed with 

 field-glasses till they lie down. They may go about five to ten miles, when perhaps 

 they will make for a solitary tree or bush on the plain, so as to lie down. 



After they have been seen through the glasses to lie down, the direction of the 

 animal's head and the place having been carefully marked down, the sportsman should 

 sit down and wait for half-an-hour or more, then, making a detour to get wind right and 

 also to come up as much as possible from behind the animal, he can stalk up quietly 

 and will probably get close enough for a shot. If he is observed and the animal 

 gets up again, it will, of course, necessitate another tedious walk, but the animal 

 if badly wounded will probably not go so far this time. 



* N.B. — The kind found in Central Africa is probably a variety. 



