SITUTUNGA BUSH BUCK 



31* 



red, with slight indications of stripes, and the young also faintly barred 

 and spotted. Another peculiarity is to be found in the length and 

 silkiness of the hair. The horns, which are nearly smooth and strongly 

 keeled, form nearly two complete turns, and thus approximate to those 

 of the kudu. 



Distribution. The situtunga is an inhabitant of the dense reed-swamps 

 bordering the rivers of Central, South-Central, and East Africa. 

 The form inhabiting the Zambesi and Chobi valleys has been 

 separated as T. selousi, on account of the female being coloured 

 like the male. These antelopes are semi -aquatic in habits, 

 frequently burying themselves up to the eyes in the water. 

 Consequently they are some of the most difficult of all antelopes 

 to kill ; and have even baffled the energy of Mr. Selous. By 

 firing the reed-beds in the dry season, the natives are able to spear 

 the situtunga as they cross open water. At night these antelopes 

 leave the reed-brakes for the islands in the rivers, but before dawn 

 return to their impenetrable covert. Mr. A. B. Phipps, in October 

 1895, stated that they had become rare in the swamps bordering 

 the Okavango River, owing to that river having changed its course 

 and ceased to flow into the Botletli. Consequently they went 

 down to the latter for water, where they were shot. A few 

 are found on a bush-clad rocky island far out in the Victoria 

 Nyanza ; in which neighbourhood the species was first discovered 

 by the late Captain Speke. 



Length. 



On front' Straight & ^p! ***>** Owner, 



curve. line. 



35.; 28g 15! Lake Mvveru . . . lion. Walter Rothschild. 



3SA 29! 8g IQJ B.C. Africa . . F. E. F. Jones. 



35 28| 8 26 Bahr-el-Ghazal . . Hon. Walter Rothschild. 



35 28 yi 154 South end of Lake John Yule. (See illustration.) 



Tanganyika 

 -34} 29 A 8 18 C. S. Mann. 



-33-i 2 7S n 19 ? Julius Jeppe. 



33i 2 ^i 8 l6g Okavango Valley . Sir H. J. Goold-Adam.s. 



32'! 27^ 7j| 26| Chinde . . . Hon. Walter Rothschild. 



32! 27 7i 163 Chobi Valley . . F. C. Selous. 



32 25 8| i6| ? G. M. Bond. 



- Owner's measurement^. 



