LECHWE (COBUS LICHI, RED VARIETY), ETC. 105 



LECHWE (Cobus lichi, red variety) ; (Cobus smithemani, 



black variety). 



Native Names. 



Chibisa Nja. Chivvemba Nja. 



Does not occur in the other countries mentioned. 



Food. 

 Grass feeder. 



Spoor. 

 Long and spreading at the toes, not quite so long as the situtunga, but coarser 

 and less graceful. 



Habitat. 

 Much the same as the situtunga, but comes out of the water morning, evening, 

 and night to feed, returning to the swamps directly the sun gets at all warm. 



Habits. 



Generally one male with one or more females. 



On being disturbed they immediately take to the swamps, where it is impossible 

 to follow them. 



There is no difficulty in distinguishing the two varieties when they have once 

 been compared, the skin of the red being of uniform red above, something the colour 

 of the puku, but darker, while the black variety has chest and legs black, with 

 a black marking between the rest of the back and white of the belly. This varies in 

 thickness and intensity according to age, and in an old animal tinges the side with 

 black right up to the spine. 



The horns of the latter variety do not reach the size of the others, and about 

 22 in. would be a fair head, while a good specimen of the red variety would 

 measure 26 in. The females are hornless. 



Notes. 



