34 ANIMAL LIFE IN AFRICA 



solid bullet from his small bore, and taking a steady aim 

 at a fleshy but non- vital portion of the little beast's 

 anatomy, he fired. For a time the noise redoubled, and 

 at first it seemed that an ascent of the ant-heap was 

 meditated ; but eventually discretion overcame valour, 

 and at the end of a really strenuous two hours the sports- 

 man was able to descend and stretch his cramped limbs. 

 In the bush of the eastern Transvaal the old bones and 

 skulls of rhinos are even now often seen, showing how 

 very numerous this animal must once have been in the 

 locality. On the Athi Plains of East Africa, where but 

 a few years ago they existed in such numbers as to form 

 a constant source of annoyance to travellers, they are 

 now only occasionally encountered. Its size, stupidity 

 and want of manners all render it certain that the black 

 rhinoceros is soon fated to vanish entirely from all his 

 more accessible haunts. Although its best friend could 

 not defend its existence upon grounds of possible utility 

 to man, the total disappearance of such a strange old- 

 world type would be none the less regrettable, and care 

 should be taken that all declared game sanctuaries contain 

 sufficient specimens to permit of the due preservation of 

 the species. 



CHAPTER IV 



ZEBRAS 



THERE are at the present day three distinct species of 

 zebras inhabiting the continent of Africa : Grevy's, the 

 True or Mountain, and Burchell's, the last comprising a 

 number of sub-species. All zebras are strictly sociable 

 animals, fond of open plains, hills, or lightly forested 

 country, and are essentially grass feeders. Like the 



