1833.] FOOD OP LARGE QUADRUPEDS. 81 



show that the case is very different. He informs me, that in lat. 

 24, in one day's march with the bullock- waggons, lie saw, without 

 wandering to any great distance on either side, between one 

 hundred and one hundred and fifty rhinoceroses, which belonged 

 to three species: the same clay he saw several herds of giraffes, 

 amounting together to nearly a hundred ; and that although no 

 elephant was observed, yet they arc found in this district. At the 

 distance of a little more than one hour's march from their place of 

 encampment on the previous night, his party actually killed at one 

 spot eight hippopotamuses, and saw many more. In this same 

 river there were likewise crocodiles. Of course it was a case quite 

 extraordinary, to see so many great animals crowded together, but 

 it evidently proves that they must exist in great numbers. Dr. 

 Smith describes the country passed through that clay, as "b3inpj 

 thinly covered with grass, and bushes about four feet high, and 

 still more thinly with mimosa-trees." The waggons were not 

 prevented travelling in a nearly straight line. 



Besides these large animals, every one the least acquainted with 

 the natural history of the Cape, has read of the herds of antelopes, 

 which can be compared only with the flocks of migratory birds. 

 The numbers indeed of the lion, panther, and hysena, and the 

 multitude of birds of prey, plainly speak of the abundance of tho 

 smaller quadrupeds: one evening seven lions were counted at 

 the same time prowling round Dr. Smith's encampment. As this 

 able naturalist remarked to me, the carnage each day in Southern 

 Africa must indeed be terrific ! I confess it is truly surprising 

 how such a number of animals can find support in a country pro- 

 ducing so little food. The larger quadrupeds no doubt roam over 

 wide tracts in search of it ; and their food chiefly consists of under- 

 wood, which probably contains much nutriment in a small bulk. 

 Dr. Smith also informs me that the vegetation has a rapid growth ; 

 no sooner is a part consumed, than its place is supplied by a fresh 

 stock. There can be no doubt, however, that our ideas respecting 

 the apparent amount of food necessary for the support of largo 

 quadrupeds are much exaggerated : it should have been remembered 

 that the camel, an animal of no mean bulk, has always been 

 considered as the emblem of the desert. 



The belief that where large quadrupeds exist, tho vegetation 

 must necessarily be luxuriant, is the more remarkable, because the 

 converse is far from true. Mr. Burchell observed to me that when 



G 



