286 THE GAME OF BRITISH EAST AFRICA. 



the lower Sabaki and near the mouth of the Tana, also east and north of Lake Rudolf. It has 

 in life a beautiful, glossy coat, like its relation the sassaby ; but the shine and gloss quickly 

 disappear after death. Herds of these animals are found numbering from twenty to forty. 



WARTHOG. 



Native Names. 



Swahili Ngili, Mnjiri, Mngiri. Kavirondo Mbithi. 



Kikamba .... Ngili. 



These animals are common enough on the plains. They seem to feed by day and lie up in 

 holes or caves by night, whereas the bushpig does just the reverse. Lions seem fairly addicted 

 to the warthog, probably because it generally has a certain amount of fat on it. I fancy that a 

 lion would probably kill one when he wanted to take the body away, so as to feed young cubs lying 

 up in cover, for he could easily carry the animal some distance. When the warthog goes into 

 his hole he generally enters backwards, so as to have his head towards the opening instead of his 

 more assailable spots, with a view to tackling anything which might attempt to enter. I killed 

 an old warthog once that had probably escaped from a lion, as he was mauled behind and had 

 no tail left. As they always stick their tails straight up in the air when alarmed and making off, a 

 lion might easily get hold of it if he missed any other part. From the number of times that I 

 have seen animals with no tails, or only stumps mauled by lions, I am inclined to think that a 

 lion, if he misses the body, often catches hold of the tail to try to bring the animal up with a 

 round turn before it escapes him. 



The warthog is very common to the north of the Athi Plains and in the Kedong Valley, 

 both places near forest country; but it is less common in the middle and other parts of the 

 plain. I am inclined to think that it does not like the open plains without cover, but prefers the 

 edges of the plains, so that it can lie up in bush or forest if it wishes to, whilst retaining the 

 plains on which to feed. The animal's characteristic method of going down on the fore-knees to 

 grub with its snout, while pushing with its hind-legs straight out behind it, can be well seen in 

 the photo by page 89. 



It occurs commonly enough in most open country in the Protectorate, provided that there is 

 cover in the vicinity. 



WATERBUCK, COMMON. 



Native Names. 



(The names for this and the sing-sing waterbuck are the same.) 



Swahili Kuru. Embei Ndopo. 



Kikuyu Ndoo. Kikamba Ndoo. 



?01-kipulege. Kavirondo Apol. 



01-nyurutu. Ogiek Tiaponaret. 



Ol-moingo. Luganda Nsama. 



This animal is a bush or long-grass country animal, though often seen on the plains, 

 especially in the mornings and evenings, and near the banks of rivers. It is greyer in colour 

 than the sing-sing, though its most distinguishing difference is the marking of the rump, which 



