NATURAL HISTORY. 



135 



STREPSICEROS. (Gr. Srp^*f, a twisting ; /ttpar, a horn.) 



Kudu, the Koodoo. 



The KOODOO is a native of South Africa, living along the 

 wooded borders of rivers. It is chiefly remarkable for its 

 beautifully shaped horns, which are about four feet in length, 

 and twisted into a large spiral of about two turns and a half. 

 A bold- ridge runs along the horns and follows their curvature. 

 When hard pressed it always takes to the water, and endeav- 

 ours to escape by its powers of swimming. Although a large 

 animal, nearly four feet in height, it can leap with wonderful 

 activity. The weight of the horns is very considerable, and 

 partly to relieve itself of that weight, and partly to guard them 

 from entanglement in the bushes among which it lives and on 

 which it feeds, it carries its head backwards, so that the horns 

 rest on its shoulders. 



