112 CENTRAL AFRICAN GAME AND ITS SPOOR. 



PUKU (Cobus vardoni). 



Native Names. 



Chinyanja Seuli. Chibisa Seula. 



Chiyao Seula. Chiwemba Nseula. 



Zulu (Ngoni) Seuli. Chisenga Seula. 



Food. 



Grass feeder. 



Spoor. 

 Slightly similar to waterbuck, but smaller. 



Habitat. 

 An exceedingly local animal, always found close to a river, from which it never 

 wanders far. Likes alternate wooded country and grassy dambos. 



Habits. 



Found in herds of about twenty to thirty with one or more males, but never the 

 proportion of males that are seen in a herd of impala ; and, moreover, a male is often 

 met by himself, which is seldom the case with the latter. 



Generally very tame — even more so than impala, and when frightened never run 

 off more than a few hundred yards, even if they had been fired at. A wounded 

 animal never goes far, and if wounded in the open can often be watched till it lies 

 down in the grass, when, after waiting a certain time, he may be approached quietly. 

 However, a wounded animal may occasionally take to thick country, such as a clump 

 of spear-grass, especially if put up again after once lying down wounded. 



In such a place he will hear one crashing through the reeds, and will be able to 

 move away again in ample time. Moreover, after the blood spoor had stopped, 

 tracking would be slow and difficult. 



However, he will seldom move on far, even if put up several times. 



As far as hunting is concerned, these animals and impala offer not the least sport 

 in shooting where they have not been shot at much, or where they are very thick, as 

 they are often as easy to approach as a flock of sheep. 



The females are hornless. 



Notes. 



