290 ON SAFAPJ 



marked with black points, shading away during life into 

 glossy purple reflections like the bloom on a ripe grape, 

 A tsesseby bull happened to be the first big beast that 

 fell to my rifle in Africa, and that lovely coloration 

 remains fixed in my memory. 



Roan Antelope. — Hvppotragus equinus. 



This has always been considered a rare animal in 

 East Africa ; yet we might, with luck, have met with it 

 at various points in our travels — say on the Athi, or in 

 the country between Nakuru and Baringo — but such 

 good fortune did not befall. Small herds are known in 

 the Lumbwa Valley, towards Muhoroni and Kibigori ; 

 while southwards therefrom, the roan is said to be fairly 

 numerous on the Guaso Nyero and thence towards the 

 lake. 



My specimens are from South Africa. 



The Marquis de la Scala writes me : " We shot three 

 roan on the Thyka River, left bank — the first at the 

 back of Donyo Sabuk. That herd, however, is very 

 poor, and is now preserved. Other parties got roan, 

 quite good heads for the country (28 ins. and 27 ins.) 

 near Muhoroni." 



Sable Antelope. — Hippotragus niger. 



Found only in the coastal region, particularly on 

 the Shimba Hills, a few stations up the line from Mom- 

 basa ; and in no great numbers — two or. three small 

 herds and poor in head, 36 ins. being the best. 

 Having much better specimens from the Transvaal, we 

 did not try for sable in East Africa. My two best 

 sable bulls, shot in the Lebombo bush-veld, measured 

 44^ and 42 ins. respectively ; and I had a female of 

 32|- ins. These three, together with many other fine 

 trophies, the results of three months' hunting, I lost 

 through the outbreak of war in the Transvaal — October 

 1899. My two companions, however, suftered infinitely 



