670 BANTU NEGROES 



being liain-. In the west of Uganda and in Toro the sliee}) grow to a 

 very great size, and have enorniously fat tails. These very large sheep 

 are often hornless.* They sometimes develop a mane down the front, like 

 the domestic shee}) of Western Africa. In Busoga and Eastern Uganda a 

 breed of domestic goat is often met with that is prized for its strange 

 appearance. The hair grows extremely long over the back and sides and 

 on the top of tlie head. It falls over the eyes like the hair of a Skye 

 terrier. This seems to be a breed that came from the Nile regions. 

 and it is one which reappears again to the west near the north end of 

 Lake Albert. 



Fowls in Uganda belong to the usual small mongrel type so common 

 throughout ]Segro Africa. Occasionally cocks and hens revert to the 

 original colour of the wild breed, and are scarcely distinguishable from 

 the jungle fowl of India. Eggs in large numbers are sold to Europeans. 

 I cannot say that they are much eaten by the natives. I suppose as a 

 general rule the hens would be allowed to hatch them if they were not 

 in demand for the European market. "When a European is travelling 

 througli Uganda a present of a thousand eggs from a chief is thought 

 nothing of; though, of course, a large proportion of these eggs have been 

 already sat on or are addled. Women are allowed by custom to eat 

 eggs until they are married, or if they are living alone as widows ; but a 

 woman who is married is not allowed to eat eggs an}' longer. The Baganda 

 women are equally disallowed fowls as an article of food, and also mutton. 

 They may, however, eat beef or veal. 



The dog used to be heard a great deal of in Uganda as a pet. Most 

 persons who have read anything about African travel will recall the 

 description given by Speke of king Mutesa and his pet dog. This pet 

 dog of Mutesa appears to have been white, and Speke mentioned that a 

 white dog, a spear, a shield, and a woman were the cognisance of Uganda. 

 Although dogs are still very common throughout the country, they do not 

 seem to be held in such special favour now by the natives. Sometimes 

 they are used for purposes of hunting down antelopes. So far as I can 

 see they mostly belong to the ordinary African pariah breed with reddish 

 yellow hair and prick ears. Sometimes there are black and white 

 specimens. During the past twenty years a good many dogs of European 

 breed have been introduced into Uganda and have mingled freely with 

 the native stock, giving rise to many types of mongrels. 



It is strange that so intelligent a })eople as the Baganda should, before 



* Tliis last-named is evidently tlie oldest breed of domestic sheep that entered 

 Afiica. It is noteworthy that the .sheep of "Western Africa from the Congo basin 

 and Angola through Nigeria to the Gambia is without a fat tail, and has a long 

 throat mane. 



