A STURDY OX. I 87 



gives it a great advantage over the other species in 

 its methods of attack. It is as much dreaded by the 

 Colonists as it is by the natives, for it has most emi- 

 nently the gift of a crafty nature. Unlike others of 

 the cat family, the panther is possessed of the fore- 

 thought of the squirrel, thus will hoard food for a 

 rainy day, so eats decomposed animal matter. This 

 act of sagacity (hoarding) is unquestionably the 

 reason that when it gains entrance into a sheep or 

 goat kraal, if undisturbed it will make often a dozen 

 or more victims before ceasing to slaughter. It is 

 also said to suck its prey's blood, after the manner of 

 weazels and ferrets. I am inclined to think this true, 

 from an incident that came under my own observation 

 a few years since. 



I had a very sturdy, valuable, but diminutive 

 hornless ox. On this last account, I suppose, he 

 was fearfully bullied by his companions, so when at 

 pasture he would stray off from the rest of the " yoke," 

 and so occasionally get lost. When coming out of 

 the high veldt, this valuable little beast was missing. 

 So well had he retained his condition, and so willing 

 was he when at work, that to leave him behind 

 could not for a moment be thought of. After cross- 

 ing sand-downs, covered sparsely with dwarf mimosa 

 trees and mapani brush, I spied the object of my 

 search heedlessly wandering among the bushes, 

 about two hundred yards from the others, on the 

 look-out for choice browsings. To facilitate driving 



