WITH FLASH-LIGHT AND RIFLE 



interesting it might be from a scientific point of 

 view. 



Among the other smaller beasts of prey we find a 

 number of w^ld-cats and lynxes. Still more abundant 

 than the leopard is the serval (Felts serval Schreb), a 

 feline, the yellow fur of -which is covered with black 

 spots. This wild-cat appears to frequent long grass, 

 reeds, and bushes, especially in the neighborhood of 

 small streams and rivers. It is strictly nocturnal in its 

 habits. I met it very seldom in the daytime — and then 

 only by chance — while I caught a great number in 

 traps, among them a much-desired, completely black 

 variety. 



While hunting elephants on the western side of the Kil- 

 imanjaro, I saw, again and again, a shy black cat. From 

 my stand I could often see it far below me jumping 

 gracefully over the dew-laden grasses and the branches 

 which blocked its way; but before I could take aim 

 it always disappeared into the thicket. For many nights 

 it avoided the traps I set to catch it. One morning, 

 however, my taxidermist surprised me with the welcome 

 news, "We have got her." Saying this he held out to 

 me a fine melanistic serval. She appeared to be uni- 

 formly black, but, holding her against the light, I could 

 see the darker spots shining through. Next morning 

 we found in the same trap a normally colored male 

 serval, her mate, no doubt. It had long been my wish 

 to catch a black serval ; at last it was fulfilled. 



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