24 ANIMAL LIFE IN AFRICA 



to them as " knee haltering " : that is to say, the first 

 shot was directed at the animal's knee or leg an elephant 

 when his leg is broken, or the bone badly injured, is 

 unable to move at all, and so the horsemen were enabled 

 to go on after the rest of the herd, and finish off the 

 maimed animals when the chase was over. 



The pursuit of the elephant is perhaps the most exciting 

 and attractive of all forms of big game hunting in Africa ; 

 certain it is that to most men who have tasted this 

 form of sport, all others become insipid by comparison. 

 Those thrilling moments which the hunter spends after 

 he has come up with the herd in thick bush or long grass, 

 and is peering about for the big bull which he knows is 

 there, every nerve strung to highest tension, and the great 

 forms only partially revealed through the thick covert 

 as they stand or slowly move within but a few yards of 

 him, form a memory which time may not easily efface. 

 The protection now extended to the breeding stock of 

 elephants inspires the hope that this magnificent form 

 of sport may long be enjoyed in due moderation by those 

 to whom mere profit is not the main object. 



THE HYRAXES. The hyraxes have a sub-order all to 

 themselves, and although externally resembling rodents, 

 really form a branch of the hoofed animals. They are 

 small creatures, brown in colour, and not much larger 

 than guinea-pigs which in fact they rather resemble in 

 form. They have very small tails, and possess three 

 well-developed toes on each foot, every one covered by 

 a flat nail, except the second toe of each hind foot, which 

 is clawed. Their ears are round and short, and their 

 faces rather pointed. t, , \, r^j 



A number of different species, extending over the 

 greater part of Africa, are known. Some of these live 

 in trees and others on the ground : of the latter the 



