1863.] LETTER FROM CAPT. J. H. SPEKE. 5 



Other signs of large and small Antelopes which have not been shot 

 by the expedition, and so also of other animals not considered game, 

 by which it will appear that there is much left for the naturalist' or 

 sportsman to bring up on this branch of natural history alone, to 

 say nothing of the birds, reptiles, and insects which, by closer exa- 

 mination than I was formerly able to devote to it, I can now venture 

 to say comprise a variety of genera and species so great as few other 

 countries can boast of. There are, however, but few birds of prey ; 

 and the other birds, though of great variety, are seldom to be found 

 of gaudy plumage. The game-birds too are not so numerous as those 

 usually classed as common birds, and, as far as my experience goes, 

 I may enumerate them as — 



"1. The Ostrich. 



"2. Bustard. 



" 3. Three varieties of Floriken : of these, specimens of two sorts 

 have been sent home ; and the third one is a larger bird with a black 

 body and white wings, something resembling the common large Flo- 

 riken of Bengal. 



"4. Three different species of Partridge. 



"5. Two sorts of Guinea-fowl. 



"6. Quails, Common and Bush. 



"7. Geese. 



"8. Ducks. 



"9. Snipe. 



" Of Snakes, poisonous as well as other ones are not uncommon, 

 and in some places very numerous. Lizards comprise an interesting 

 variety ; whilst the Insectivorous birds are of all descriptions, and 

 in vast numbers." 



Continuation of the above letter. 



" Kazeh, 10th March, 1861. — Since writing the above letter I had 

 reason to beheve that two species of Antelopes, which I had not met 

 with, were to be found in the jungles not far distant from this — the 

 Sable Antelope and the Blau-Boc. I accordingly went there, and 

 have now satisfied myself of the existence of both by personal inspec- 

 tion. The Sable Antelope api>eared very scarce, for in six days' con- 

 stant shooting I only saw one ; but the Blau-Bocs were more com- 

 mon. The specimen of this latter animal which I send you was 

 pulled down by Lions after the forearm had been broken by a 

 bullet. 



"Kazeh, 7th May, 1861. — I have just returned from Mininga to 

 this place, and find, to my surprise, that I never concluded this letter 

 (by attaching a list of the birds and animals) before the expedition 

 departed. 1 now cannot do so from memory, the specimens being in 

 most part encased in tin ; but I am adding twenty-two birds and one 

 Wild Cat to the collection. There are also a few rough sketches 

 which 1 should like you to keep for me, painted on nine separate 

 sheets of block-paper. It is now more than six weeks since the ex- 

 pedition left Kazeh ; and in that time I find all the large birds, Vul- 



