THE MINOR ANTELOPES AND GAZELLES 345 



At this one particular spot west of El Dueim 

 there runs, parallel with White Nile and 40 miles inland 

 thereof, a narrow belt of land whereupon a hand's-breadth 

 of addra are found, flourishing in splendid isolation ! This 

 segregated strip is but 10 miles in breadth. Before 

 reaching it, never an addra is seen ; nor, after traversing 

 its lo-mile extent, will another be met with for 150 miles 

 to the westward ! that is, in winter. On the second 

 day out from El Dueim the traveller reaches the solitary 

 koppie known as Jebel Shuwei, and this hill marks the 

 longitude of this narrow scribe whereon the addra dwells. 1 

 The explanation of such facts or of geographical dis- 

 tribution generally lies beyond the range of a field- 

 observer (or of anyone else). 



Bush-Gazelles 



The red-fronted is the common gazelle of all the 

 bush -country both of Blue and White Niles, ex- 

 tending to the verge of the Northern Deserts. Nowhere 

 really abundant, yet it is broadly distributed, usually 

 in pairs or small groups never in big herds such as 

 one recalls in East Africa of its cousin, Thomson's 

 gazelle. 



Whilst up the Zeraf River in February 1914, I recog- 

 nised at once a difference between the local gazelles and 

 the ordinary red-front. These Zeraf gazelles showed a 

 distinct white blaze on the forehead, between the horns, 

 and the black lateral stripe appeared thinner and less 

 conspicuous. That year, unfortunately, a little "scrap" 

 was raging with some turbulent Nuers up the Zeraf and 

 (though granted special permission to collect birds) we 

 were forbidden to shoot the larger game. Hence I 



1 During the rainy season, Mr Butler tells me he has seen Addra 

 scattered all along the desert-route from Jebel Shuwei to the Sahara. But 

 when, in spring, these big gazelles retire therefrom, they still leave in 

 "splendid isolation" that lo-mile breadth of their kind which finds 

 permanent quarters around Jebel Shuwei. 



