350 GIRAFFE GROUP 



kudu, which is the most fully striped representative of the whole group, 

 occurs in the same districts as the least striped race of the former. As 

 the colouring of all the members of the tragelaphine subfamily is 

 almost certainly protective, this implies a difference in the habitat of 

 the two species in question, so far at least as Somaliland is concerned. 



On this point Mr. Pocock, after referring to the imperfect informa- 

 tion at present available, writes as follows : 



" Nevertheless, Selous's statement that the South African kudu, 

 although usually partial to hilly country covered with dense thickets, 

 is also common in the thick bush along both banks of the river Chobi, 

 where there are no hills whatever, and Kirby's corroboration to the 

 effect that, in the heavy belts of bush lining the rivers and water- 

 courses these animals are as much at home as in rocky bush-covered 

 hills, are very much to the point, since they testify that the habitat of 

 the greater kudu of South Africa embraces the habitats of the two 

 forms that occur farther north in the continent. Hence, if there is 

 any truth in the theory that the markings of these antelopes are cor- 

 related with habitat, we should expect to find the markings of the 

 southern form of the greater kudu intermediate between those of the 

 northern form of the same species and of their smaller but more 

 beautiful ally Strepsiceros imberbis ; and this seems to be the case." 



In other words, the lesser kudu, on account of its full striping and 

 rich body-colour, would naturally be expected to occur in dense low- 

 land jungle ; whereas the Somali greater kudu, as being but sparsely 

 striped and of a greyer tone of colouring, should be looked for in 

 mountainous and less bushy country. Both suppositions agree with 

 the actual facts of the case. Finally, the South African kudu, as being 

 of an intermediate type of colouring, ought to occur in both kinds of 

 situation ; and in this case also theory appears to be supported by 

 actual fact. 



THE GIRAFFE 

 ( Giraffa camelopardalis) 



Kameel, CAPE DUTCH ; Nciip, HOTTENTOT ; Tutla, BECHUANA ; 

 Ntutla, MATABILI AND ZULU ; Ngkabt, MASARWA ; Njangito- 

 mara, NDOROBO ; Twiga, SWAHILI. 



(PLATE xiv, figs. 1-3) 



The giraffes and the okapi are the sole living representatives of an 

 African family of ruminants (Giraffidce) distinguished by the double- 



