286 AFRICAN GAME TRAILS 



several hundred being sometimes found, and is of a rest- 

 less, wandering temper, often shifting his abode and some- 

 times making long migrations. The rhinoceros is a lover of 

 solitude; it is usually found alone, or a bull and cow, or 

 cow and calf may be in company; very rarely are as many 

 as half a dozen found together. Moreover, it is compara- 

 tively stationary in its habits, and as a general thing stays 

 permanently in one neighborhood, not shifting its position 

 for very many miles unless for grave reasons. 



The African elephant has recently been divided into a 

 number of sub-species; but as within a century its range 

 was continuous over nearly the whole continent south of the 

 Sahara, and as it was given to such extensive occasional 

 wanderings, it is probable that the examination of a suffi- 

 cient series of specimens would show that on their confines 

 these races grade into one another. In its essentials the 

 beast is almost everywhere the same, although, of course, 

 there must be variation of habits with any animal which 

 exists throughout so wide and diversified a range of terri- 

 tory; for in one place it is found in high mountains, in an- 

 other in a dry desert, in another in low-lying marshes or 

 wet and dense forests. 



In East Africa the old bulls are usually found singly 

 or in small parties by themselves. These have the biggest 

 tusks; the bulls in the prime of life, the herd bulls or breed- 

 ing bulls, which keep in herds with the cows and calves, 

 usually have smaller ivory. Sometimes, however, very 

 old but vigorous bulls are found with the cows; and I am 

 inclined to think that the ordinary herd bulls at times also 

 keep by themselves, or at least in company with only a few 

 cows, for at certain seasons, generally immediately after 

 the rains, cows, most of them with calves, appear in great 

 numbers at certain places, where only a few bulls are ever 

 found. Where undisturbed elephant rest, and wander 

 about at all times of the day and night, and feed without 

 much regard to fixed hours. Morning or evening, noon or 

 midnight, the herd may be on the move, or its members 



