THE ANTELOPES AND GAZELLES 163 



extending to Angola in the west, and Abyssinia and 

 Somaliland in the east. Koodoo meat is excellent 

 eating, and the Boers make very good bultong of it. 

 A good bull koodoo will weigh about 500 Ibs. 



The Lesser Koodoo (Strepsiceros imberbis} is, as its 

 name implies, a smaller relative of the noble beast 

 just dealt with. The colouring of the bull is a very 

 beautiful blue-grey, the back ornamented with trans- 

 verse white stripes, and the face marked with lines 

 and spots. The animal has a whitish neck mane ; 

 but the fine fringe of hair along the throat so notice- 

 able in the greater koodoo is lacking. The cows 

 and young males are of a lightish-brown colour, with 

 the striping not so marked as in the adult males. 

 This is a very beautiful antelope, standing over 3 feet 

 5 inches at the shoulder, and carrying in the males 

 spiral horns, averaging in good specimens about 

 28 inches over the curve and 22 inches in a straight 

 line. Fine examples reach 35 inches and 26 inches 

 respectively. The flesh of the antelope is by no 

 means good eating. East African natives have a 

 strong prejudice against it, alleging that it is poisonous 

 and unwholesome. 



The lesser koodoo is, like its congener, a bush 

 and hill-loving species, and is partial to the jungly 

 banks of periodical rivers. Although not very 

 plentiful, it is to be met with in small bands of from 

 two to four or five in Somaliland, Abyssinia, and 

 British and German East Africa. 



Native names for the koodoos are as follows : 

 Greater Koodoo : Hottentot, Kudu or Koodoo; Bechuana 



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