THE PLAINS. 105 



North of the reserve are the Lemek Plains, which many sportsmen visit. 

 Here are found giraffe and occasionally elephant. These plains are usually 

 reached via the Sotik country, and west of them, on the German border, roan are 

 plentiful, and it is not far from that part of the border that the Grant's gazelle, 

 known as Robert Grant's gazelle, is found. These are by some considered as a 

 sub-species of Grant's, and by others, owing to their very small distribution, as 

 the offspring of one deformed horned buck. Near the border and west of the 

 Kisu country are found plentifully roan, topi, and oribi. 



Elephants have been shot on the Athi Plains, but 1 fancy that they must have 

 been on trek from one locality to another. 



Oryx callotis are to be seen in the reserve near Simba Station and along the 

 German boundary, where they find their way as far northwards as the Yipi and 

 Nyiri swamps. Roan, besides being plentiful on the German border, are found, 

 in very small numbers, near Machakos, Punda Milia, and near the Chania Falls. 

 Elephants, I am told, used at one time to be plentiful at Ngongo Bagasi, but 

 there is no vestige of them there now. East of 01 Doinyo Sapuk occasional 

 stretches of plain break the monotony of the bush. Lions and the usual kinds 

 of ordinary game are freely distributed there. 



One of these stretches of plain between the Tana, or Sagana, River and the 

 Embei country is called the Mwea Plain. Game is plentiful there, but restricted 

 in variety. There are buffalo and eland in the open bush to the north, and 

 rhino inhabiting these parts are noted for their small horns and their large feet. 

 I have not seen any gnu In the plains east of the Athi River after it has left 

 the Athi Plains and swept round 01 Doinyo Sapuk flowing southwards, nor 

 have I seen the gazelles very plentifully scattered. To the west and north-west 

 of Kenya there is an enormous plain including Laikipia and part of the northern 

 reserve. As it passes northwards it gradually changes its nature to that of 

 a thorn-bush and desert country. In the southern portion of this plain game 

 is confined to zebra, impala, lion, and cheetah. Further northwards more game 

 is found, till the E-uaso Ngiro (not the river of that name before mentioned) is 

 reached. This river is the southern boundary of the northern reserve, and 

 about these parts are found the much-sought-after oryx beisa and a northern 

 form of Grant's gazelle, with horns straight and near together, and which form 

 a link with the Peter's gazelle. Northwards of this again there is a fall in the 

 country. At this lower level are situatrd the hot and arid plains of Rudolf. On 

 them the game is almost entirely different to that of the southern plains and 

 consists of oryx beisa, Grevy's zebra, Walter's gazelle, lion, and giraffe. 



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