756 MR. F. C. SELOTJS ON AFRICAN ANTELOPES. [June 21, 



I have twice met with the Roan Antelope to the south of Baman- 

 gwato, once on the Limpopo and once on the Notuani '. In the 

 neighbourhood of the Tati in South-western Matabele land it is not 

 uncommon ; and all along the road from there to the Zambesi it may- 

 be met with, though nowhere plentiful ; as far as I have been along 

 the Chobe it is to be found sparingly, and also in the Mababe 

 country. Throughout the Mashuna country it is tolerably plentiful ; 

 and in the Manica country north of the Zambesi also I saw a good 

 many. In fact it is to be found over a vast extent of country in 

 central South Africa, but is nowhere to be met with in very large 

 numbers. A herd of twenty together is seldom to be seen. The 

 Roan Antelopes differ very much one from another in colour, some 

 being of a strawberry-roan, others of a deep dark grey or brown, 

 and others again so light in colour as to appear almost white at a 

 distance. The horns of the Roan Antelope bull seldom measure 

 more than 2 ft. 6 in. in length measured over the curve, though I 

 saw one, shot in the Mashuna country in 1878, whose horns measured 

 2 ft. 9 in. 



7. HiPPOTRAGUS NIGER. 



(Zwart Wit Pens of the Dutch ; Sable Antelope or Harrishuck of 

 the English ; Potoquane of the Southern Bechuanas ; Qualata inchu 

 of the Bamangwatos and Makalolos; Umtjiele of the Amandebele ; 

 Pala-pala of the Makalakas ; Impetigo of the Masubias ; Oolcwa of 

 the Makubas ; Sohtpe of the Masaras.) 



At the present H&y a few Sable Antelopes are still to be found in 

 South-western Matabele land, in the neighbourhood of the Ramok- 

 webani, Shashani, and Samookwe rivers (tributaries of the Shashe). 

 Along the waggon-road leading from Tati to the Zambesi it may be 

 met with here and there, but is decidedly scarce. All along the 

 Chobe river, as far as I have been, I have met with this Antelope, 

 though sparingly. In the Mababe country and on the road leading 

 from there to Bamangwato I neither saw a Sable Antelope nor the 

 spoor of one, and do not think its range extends so far to the west. 

 In the broken country to the south of the Victoria Falls, in the 

 neighbourhood of the Pendamatenka and Daka rivers, it is not un- 

 common ; but its true home is the higher portions of the Mashuna 

 country to the north-east of the Matabele country. There it is the 

 commonest Antelope, and may still be met with in herds of over fifty 

 individuals, the usual number being from ten to twenty. However 

 large the herd, I have never seen more than one full-grown bull with 

 it, though there may be several half-grown ones, whilst in a large herd 

 of any other kind of Antelopes two or more full-grown males are nearly 

 alwaysto he seen. On the Manica plateau, north of the Zambesi, Sable 

 Antelopes are also to be met with. The longest pair of male Sable 

 Antelope's horns I ever saw measured 45 inches over the curve, the 

 longest pair of female 33 inches. In the Mashuna country and along 

 the Chobe the average length of the horns of these animals is greater 

 than in South-western Matabele land. As a rule the Sable Antelope 

 ' A few Eoan Antelopes are still to be found in Griqualand West. 



