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about sundown, and in the very early morning before 

 dawn, though in cold weather sometimes as late as 

 midday, and in going to and returning from water they 

 always follow their own special paths. They are grass- 

 eating animals, and their favourite feeding-grounds are 

 often ploughed up by their hoofs, while the pasture is 

 eaten very short. They are very partial to dry sand 

 wallows, and these hollowed out circular rolling places 

 are certain indications of favourite resorts of a herd. 



Each troop appears to have its own well-marked feeding- 

 ground, and is seldom found far away from it while 

 pasture remains, except on its journeys to and from the 

 water. One herd in particular in the Transvaal Game 

 Reserve is always to be seen near the road about the 

 same place, and I have watched it increase from eighteen 

 to sixty individuals in the course of years. Any in- 

 fringement of grazing rights appears to be strongly 

 resented, and I was once witness of a most interesting 

 episode, when the herd bull of a certain troop chased a 

 party of invaders back on to their own ground on the 

 other side of a small stream, returning quietly to his 

 own party so soon as his duty was done. Not the least 

 remarkable phase of the incident was the sense of wrong- 

 doing exhibited by the trespassers, who displayed not 

 the smallest tendency to offer any resistance. 



Blue wildebeests are hardy and courageous animals 

 and fight gamely when at bay. The present writer had 

 an experience of this trait once in Barotseland, when, 

 having foolishly walked up to one with an empty rifle 

 and no cartridges in the belt, as it was lying wounded 

 on the ground, it suddenly sprang to its feet, and, its 

 eyes flashing fire, made a most determined charge. The 

 natives with the ammunition ran for their lives, and the 

 writer was lucky enough to be able to dodge behind a 



