THE BOSCH-BOK. 



665 



The flesh of the Eland is peculiarly excellent ; and as it possesses the valuable quality 

 of being tender immediately after the animal is killed, it is highly appreciated in the 

 interior of South Africa, where usually all the meat is as tough as shoe-leather, and nearly 

 as dry. In some strange manner, the Eland contrives to live for months together without 

 drinking, and even when the herbage is so dry that it crumbles into powder in the hand 

 the Eland preserves its good condition, and is, moreover, found to contain water in its 

 stomach if opened. For its abstinence in liquids, the Eland compensates by its 

 ravenous appetite for solid food, and is so large a feeder that the expense of keeping the 

 animal would be almost too great for any one who endeavored to domesticate the animal 

 in England with any hope of profit. 



The color of the Eland is a pale grayish-brown, and the horns are nearly straight, 

 spirally twisted, and of considerable size. 



ELAND. Oreas Canna, 



A variety of this animal, termed the Striped Eland, is sometimes, but rarely, seen. 

 Some few years ago, when Colonel Faddy, R.A., was in Southern Africa, he shot several 

 of these animals, and brought their skins home as trophies of success. Neither at the 

 Cape nor in England was he believed when he described the animals which he had been 

 fortunate enough to kill, and it was not until he produced the skins that his account was 

 credited. The skins were presented to the institution attached to the Royal Artillery 

 barracks at Woolwich, and may be seen in the museum. 



FOR the following account of the BOSCH-BOK, I am again indebted to Captain 

 Drayson's MS. : 



" The Black Bosch-bok is upwards of three feet in height, and five feet in length, 

 very elegant, and stouter than the generality of antelopes. The horns are a foot in length, 



