NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



south of the Zambesi. In this race the sides of 

 the head are chestnut instead of dark brown, the 

 tuft on the face is shorter, a white chevron is pre- 

 sent, and the pasterns are black behind instead of 

 the usual white. This local race ranges west into 

 Angola. 



A distinct species of Eland exists in the Congo 

 regions known as Lord Derby's Eland (Taurotragus 

 derbianus). It differs from the Eland of the more 

 southern parts of the Continent in possessing large 

 horns, broader ears, which are truncated at the tips, 

 and a dewlap beginning at the chin instead of on 

 the throat, as is the case with the other species. 



The Eland is gregarious, and it formerly was 

 often met with in herds of a couple of hundred or 

 more, but owing to constant persecution it is now 

 usually seen in small troops of half-a-dozen to 

 twenty, of which one or two are adult bulls. 



Sometimes the young males run together in small 

 troops. In South Africa they frequent the open 

 more or 'less arid or desert country, such as that of 

 Bechuanaland and the Kalahari ; and also the 

 bush-veld and mountainous regions such as the 

 Drakensberg. 



When hunted they invariably retreat to the 

 mountains, and when frequently molested they 

 make the mountain ranges their permanent home. 



In Rhodesia during the earlier part of the year 

 the Elands take to the rugged forest and coarse 

 grass-clad rugged hills, and finding an abundance 



136 



