288 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XI11. 
THE CHEETAH, OR HUNTING LEOPARD. 
(Cynelurus jubatus). 
Although the Cheetah is not one of the Felide, it seems natural to consider 
him after the Leopard, Like the latter he is very common, much more so 
than would ordinarily be believed, as the sportsman in Somaliland so seldom 
meets with the species in the flesh ; but the number of cubs (or kittens, as one 
would like to call them), that used to be brought into Berbera and Bulhar a 
few years back, afforded sufficient evidence of the fact that they were by no 
means scarce, Since then, the export of live animals from the country has, 
I think, been put a stop to, and consequently the supply has ceased with the 
demand, but I remember when the recognized price for a pair of cheetah cubs 
was 3 rupees, They make the most charming pets as readers of the 
Journal must have gathered from Major Rodon’s interesting note on the sub- 
ject. I had two of them for nearlya year, and they were great favourites with 
everyone, but their digestions suddenly went wrong without any apparent 
reason, and both died of the same symptoms within a few days of each other, 
They were most good tempered creatures and never did any harm, but 
could never resist stalking the family milch-goat in a playful way when 
opportunity offered. She seemed to realize too that they did not mean busi- 
ness, and allowed them to take great liberties before she thought of using her 
horns. At the same time that we had the two cheetahs, a friend of ours, 
Lieut, Stafford, R.H,, was bringing up a young lioness, and very often brought 
her over for a visit to our pets ; the meetings between them were most edify- 
ing. Directly they were confronted, the cheetahs would fly into a violent 
rage, and endeavour to get at her, evidently spoiling for a fight: the lioness 
on the other hand, though she was much bigger and heavier than they were, 
and had she wished could have given them a thrashing in no time, seemed to 
be utterly cowed by them, and used to endeavour to slink away directly she 
caught sight of them, Unlike the leopard, the Cheetah is a very inoffensive 
animal as far as human beings and their flocks are concerned, and seems to 
confine himself to the legitimate chase of wild game. | 
ANTELOPE. 
THE Besa (Ory beisa). 
Oryx are still plentiful in suitable localities throughout the Protectorate, 
once you get beyond the Maritime Range ; but in close country, though 
the ground may be- a mass of tracks, they are very difficult to find, 
They hear you before you see them, and have a tantalising habit of 
waiting and watching for you behind a thick bush, and then galloping 
off without your knowing it until the tracks reveal the fact, I remember one 
day when we were very hard up for fresh meat, I got on tothe track of an 
Oryx which began behaving in this way, and J was determined to persevere to 
the utmost, as unless I bagged him I knew I should have to face the prospec; 
of dispensing with a square meal that day, as wellas of the aggrieved 
