286 ANTELOPES 



similar in colour, though the bulls have slightly thicker horns and 

 necks. Solitary bulls are found wandering alone through the country, 

 and are generally old heavy animals. In disposition oryx are shy, 

 wary animals, very hard to approach on the open plains, although 

 when found in bush, with the wind favourable, they can be stalked com- 

 paratively easily. The skin on the top of the shoulders is very thick, 

 and much prized for making into fighting-shields by the Somalis, 

 who say that it is tougher than any other hide, and will turn the 

 sharpest spear. The rest of the skin is cut into a long thong, which 

 makes a serviceable rope for tying the loads on camels. 



" When oryx are in good condition the meat is excellent ; and 

 that of a calf is a positive dainty. A wounded oryx should be 

 approached with care, as it is a vindictive beast and full of courage, 

 and, if not disabled, will make a determined dash at any one coming 

 near, often using its sharp horns with fatal precision. The bulls seem 

 to be very pugnacious, and I have shot several with only one eye. An 

 oryx with a single horn is by no means uncommon. 



" Riding down a wounded oryx is very exciting sport, but I never 

 tried to finish one with a spear myself, preferring to carry a light rifle 

 rather than risk my pony getting a prod from those javelin-like horns. 

 I have seen these antelopes charge a mounted Somali most determinedly." 



The following observations on the Kilimanjaro or fringe-eared race 

 are condensed from notes written by Mr. F. J. Jackson : 



" The fringe-eared oryx is fairly common in the Galla country, 

 south of the Tana river, and I have seen it within a mile of the sea 

 at Merereni during the rainy season in May 1885. It has, however, 

 never been found on the Athi plains, though, farther south, it is fairly 

 well distributed from Kilimanjaro, its headquarters, as far east as the 

 open country between Maungu and the river Voi, where I saw several 

 good-sized herds in 1888. In the Kilimanjaro district it used to be 

 very abundant, in fact one of the commonest beasts, on the eastern 

 shores of Lake Jipi, and in the country lying between the north-east 

 of the mountain and the Kiyulu hills, and as I never heard of it having 

 suffered from the ravages of rinderpest, it is, no doubt, still common in 

 those places and others suitable to its habits. 



" It is a shy, wary animal, and goes about in herds of six or eight 

 up to thirty or more. A single bull oryx, driven out of the herd by 

 a younger and stronger rival, may often be seen with a herd of 

 Grant's gazelle, with which it associates perhaps for the sake of safety 

 as well as companionship. These oryx affect open bush and sparsely 

 timbered country more than the plains, and are found in the dryest 



