1890.J ANTELOPES OF NYASA-LAND. 655 



than Buffalo, and from tlie numbers of " Impala " skulls lying 

 about, it looked as if Lions had made these animals their special 

 prey. 



In 1887 and 1888 I constantly saw " Impala" on the plains to 

 the S.W. of Cape Maclear, notably round Lesumbwi (Monkey Bay^, 

 wbich is only about nine miles from it ; here the country bordering 

 on the Lake is very liilly and covered with rough bouldtMS, but 

 there are intervening ])lains overgrown with short grass and beauti- 

 fully wooded with sweet-smelling umbrella-shaped mimosas, and 

 these were always a sure find for " Impala." 



In 1889 I came across a small herd of about seven on the Wovu 

 Biver, about 20 miles inland from Vuwa, but they were very wild 

 and quite unapproachable ; here, again, they were in clean sandy 

 country, wooded with short mimosas and dwarf borassus palms, and 

 I fancy they are not found in any other. To the S.W. of Nyasa, 

 I have found " Impala " in very great numbers, and in 1888 I ran 

 down and caught a young buck about four days old, but he did not 

 live more than a day. 



No Antelope I have seen can compare with the " Impala" in fleet- 

 ness of foot, and certainly no other can display such wonderful leaping 

 power ; they go off like the proverbial " arrow from the bow," and, 

 with most beautiful gliding bounds, cover the ground without appa- 

 rently the least effort. When alarmed they often give utterance to a 

 sharp bark. Once or twice I have noticed that " Impala " become 

 panic-stricken if persistently followed or run after in the open ; I 

 have had a herd stop, look at me, and then double back past me 

 when they had plenty of open ground to their front. Natives seem 

 to know this, and when occasion offers take advantage of it. 



6. Tragelaphus sylvaticus. 



Commonest of all the Nyasa Antelopes, whether gregarious or 

 otherwise, and better known perhaps than any other to the natives 

 is the Bush-buck, " Babala " of the Anyanja, " Mbawala " of the 

 Ajawa, "Imbabala" of the Angoni, and " Mpatu " of the Ahenga 

 and Anyika. 



From the great variety that exists in the colour and markings of 

 Nyasa Bush-bueks, I have thought there must be more than one 

 species, but after carefully examining a great many of both sexes, 

 both young and old, I have come to the conclusion that I have only 

 met with T. sylvaticus. 



I now exhibit several skins and pairs of horns of specimens from 

 different localities of the west coast of Nyasa, and a brief descrip- 

 tion of them may not be without interest. 



Young males are of a bright reddish brown, deepening in colour 

 about the back, belly, and legs. They are marked plentifully with 

 white spots on the flanks and haunches, and have also some five or 

 more transverse white stripes on either side, emanating from the 

 ridge of the back, along which extends a short white mane inter- 

 mixed with black. 



Old males vary very much indeed, but the majority are of a dull 



'44* 



