660 MK. R. CRAWSHAY ON THE [DeC. 2, 



and only come down to the plaiijs from their mountain fastnesses at 



night, returning again at the break of day. 



There aie Koodoos, I am told, in the hills at the back of Karali 



and Bana, and I saw a fine pair of horns, of which the bearer was 



killed by Mr. Alfred Sharpe, between the former place and 



Mwazi's.' 



In 1889 I passed a lot of spoor in the neighbourhood of Taowira 



(Kapyira's) and Kaundi, at the foot of the range of mountains 



which run inland about north-west from Mount Waller (Chombi); 



and in Kapvira's village, on the Chinibwiriri River, I saw a Koodoo 

 bull's skull.' 



In the hills about Mweniwanda's (Chirenji), I have been told 



there are a good many Koodoos, but I have not visited that district. 

 HovFever, as I have said, Koodoos are common practically to all 

 Nyasa-land, especially in the rugged wooded highlands away from 

 the haunts of men ; occasionally they are met with on the plains, 

 but never far from hills, which they leave at night for the low country, 

 returning again at daybreak. 



Like Elands, they are fond of browsing on the young and tender 

 shoots of trees and shrubs, especially in the dry season, when the 

 grass has been burnt off and has not had time to grow. When 

 alarmed. Koodoos sometimes give vent to a low bark — best imitated 

 by anyone intlating the lungs with air and then expelling it open- 

 mouthed; but this bark- — if bark it can be called — is only audible at 

 close quarters. 



The horns of this animal are very generally seen in the possession 

 of Nyasa natives, who use them for hubble-bubble pipes and also as 

 war-horns ; but they furthermore are made to do duty, like most other 

 Antelope horns, as receptacles for native " medicine " and are hung 

 suspended in the liouses or outside under the eaves of the thatch, 

 according as the contents are expected to act. 



9. HiPPOTRAGUS NIGER. 



The Sable Antelope or Harris-buck, " Mpula-mpala " of the 

 Anyanja, " Mbarapi " of the Ajawa, " Mpala-mpala " of the Achewa, 

 Angoni, Ahenga, and Auyika, is not by any means evenly distributed, 

 but in parts appears to be plentiful, especially in forest highlands, 

 its favourite haunts. 



I have myself only once seen these animals in Nyasa-land, and 

 that was in 1885, in the Yao hills, between the south-east corner of 

 the Lake and Shirwa ; there were just a pair standing watching me 

 from the crest of a hill. Li the Chirenji country (Mweniwanda's), 

 I hear, they are ])lentiful, and j\Ir. Alfred Sharjie showed me the 

 horns of a bull killed by himself in that district. In the " Ma-suku " 

 forests of the Apoka Mountains they are also said to exist, but I 

 ■was never lucky enough to come across any. 



Sable Antelopes must be very plentiful in parts — ^judging from the 

 number of horns in the possession of the natives, especially Ajawa 

 and ]\Iachinga, who use them as powder-horns, and I think they 



