3 io ANTELOPES 



a roan antelope or gemsbuck cow in high condition. On the other 

 hand, in November and December, towards the end of the dry season 

 and the early part of the rainy season, eland get into low condition ; 

 and the pasturage being then usually dry and scanty, browse on the 

 leaves of various trees and bushes. At such times their flesh becomes 

 watery, tasteless, and infinitely inferior to the meat of smaller antelopes 

 such as hartebeests, wildebeests, etc., at the same season. In Mashona- 

 land, and south-eastern Africa generally, eland are in the highest condi- 

 tion during March, April, and May ; but they are then difficult to secure, 

 since they are never found in open country, but live amongst the broken, 

 rugged hills, covered with thick mahobohobo forest and long coarse 

 grass, which lie below the level of the high plateaus. They are, 

 moreover, at this season never found in large herds, but scattered 

 singly, or in twos and threes, or little herds of four or five to eight or 

 ten in number, all over the country. 



" At night eland are fond of raiding the native corn-fields, jumping 

 over the surrounding fences, and seldom or never going through the 

 openings left by the natives, in which pitfalls neatly covered with grass 

 have been dug for their capture. Long before daylight they leave the 

 corn-fields and make for the hills, often climbing a rugged and steep 

 ascent and taking up a position at the top, from which they are able 

 to view or scent any pursuer following on their tracks ; so that before 

 he reaches their resting-place, they will be down the other side of the 

 hill, no matter how steep, and far up the side of another, among the 

 mahobohobo trees, at a pace that makes pursuit difficult. In the early 

 part of the year the old bulls are generally alone, and always in thick 

 forest or broken country ; and as they are also excessively shy and wary, 

 they are some of the most difficult of all animals to bag at this season. 

 In June in early years in May when the natives commence to burn 

 the grass on the high plateau of Mashonaland, the eland gradually collect 

 into herds, and, leaving the shelter of the hills and forests farther and 

 farther behind, wander over the open grassy downs. When encountered 

 in such situations, they can be ridden into and shot with the greatest 

 ease ; but as soon as they commence feeding on the young grass, they 

 rapidly fall off in condition. In open country eland fall an easy prey 

 to mounted hunters ; as although there are exceptional cows that none 

 but a good horse can run down, a very moderate one is a match for 

 an average bull or cow eland. Contrary to the generally received idea, 

 I have found that eland run best when in good condition before they 

 commence to feed on the young green grass ; although when the 

 accumulation of fat round the heart becomes excessive, an old bull 



