xviii EL BOGOI TO MOMBASA 415 



specimens and help in working out the distribution, being well acquainted 

 with the two forms, is perhaps the only hunter who has killed the Two- 

 horned Girafife both in South and East Africa, and also the Three-horned 

 species, having formerly killed Giraffes in South Africa when they were 

 much more plentiful than they now are, and extended farther southward — • 

 tells me that on a journey from Mombasa as far as Usoga, on the route 

 to Uganda, none were noticed but the southern or blotched kind, and that 

 no Giraffes were seen west of the Naivasha Valley, the route taken from 

 Naivasha to Kavirondo being more southerly than that at present followed 

 by caravans. And writing to me on his recent successful hunting expedi- 

 tion to the northern shores of Lake Rudolf, Mr. Neumann says : — " I only 

 observed the southern variety in the neighbourhood of the Athi or Sabaki 

 River ; I had a good view of one a little south of that river. The northern 

 species I found from the Tana River northward as far as I went, namely, 

 to the north end of Bassu (Lake Rudolph) ; I mean, of course, the kind 

 with the defined polygonal pattern. Whether or not there are any of this 

 kind south of the Tana I do not know, but I feel sure that in the direction 

 I went it is the only sort to the north of that river. In some parts, 

 particularly about the Gwaso Nyiro, it is very plentiful, far more so than I 

 have ever seen the southern type anywhere. From a little north of the 

 Lorogi Mountains, I met with no more Giraffes until near the north end 

 of the lake, where I noticed a few in one locality." 



With regard to the possible use of this massive head, 1 was anxious to 

 find out whether the horns are used in fighting. Mr. Neumann says of 

 the Three-horned species the nearest thing to fighting he has seen was 

 two young males playfully butting one another with their heads ; he has 

 seen Giraffes pressed by dogs keeping off their pursuers by kicking with 

 their hind feet in rather a cowish fashion. Mr. Selous, on the other hand, 

 says he once witnessed the following very pathetic incident — a newly- 

 born calf lying in the grass was seized by two Leopards, the mother 

 Giraffe at once coming to the rescue, fought with such effect with \\tx fore 

 feet that she succeeded in driving off the Leopards, but, unfortunately, one 

 blow aimed at the Leopard struck the calf in the back, breaking it. On 

 seeing this the hunter went up and put the poor little beast out of its 

 misery. All hunters agree that the Giraffe never uses its head in self- 

 defence. 



Grevy's zebra is now well known, so far as regards its 

 markings, as many skins have come from Somaliland, but it 

 strikes me that the descriptions our naturalists give of the 

 animal itself are not altogether accurate. As an unscientific 

 observer, I have had great experience of this animal, and 



