THE GNU 331 



into Europe with a view to breeding it for its flesh, but 

 the animal's ravenous appetite made it an unprofitable 

 undertaking. 



GNU (Connocheetes gnu). 

 Coloured Plate XXII. Fig. i. 



The two species of Gnu are certainly the strangest- 

 looking of the Antelopes, and they well deserve their 

 common name 'Wildebeest/ which is gained for them 

 by their wild manoeuvres as much as by their awkward 

 and uncouth appearance. In colour, the species figured 

 on the plate is mainly dark brown, except for the black 

 mane streaked with white at its base and a long white tail. 

 There are tufts of hair on the muzzle and under the chin, 

 together with a ruff of black hair on the neck and extending 

 to between the fore legs. 



This extraordinary animal is equal in height to a small 

 pony, and its general contour is compact and very muscular. 

 The head is abnormally large and the eyes are wild and fiery. 

 The horns, large and ponderous, scarcely advance from the 

 skull, taking an oblique direction outwards, and then rising 

 again towards the points, which are long and sharp. The 

 horns overshadow the animal's eyes, giving it a suspicious 

 and sinister aspect, and hence another generic name 

 (Catoblepas), which means ' downlooking.' 



The ancient naturalists thought the Wildebeest to be a 

 hybrid between a horse and a cow, and in travelling 

 menageries it is generally advertised as the ' Horned 

 Horse.' It has the odd habit of mixing with zebras, 

 giraffes, ostriches, &c., in a most miscellaneous herd. The 

 colour scarlet has for it the most astonishing fascination, 

 so that when the hunters wish to attract it within rifle-range, 

 all they have to do is to tie a red cloth to a stick, allow it to 

 wave in the air, and wait for the Gnu, which cannot resist 

 the temptation of inspecting the scarlet object. Every now 

 and then, even in captivity, the Gnu is seized with an ir- 

 repressible desire to dance, kick, and bark. Accordingly, 

 down goes its head to the ground, up go its heels into the 

 air ; then it pretends to toss some enemy to the sky ; then 



