ON THE SITATUXGA OF THE SESSE ISLANDS. 375 



12. Notes on the Sitatunga or Marsh Antelope o£ the 

 Sesse Islands, Lake Victoria Njanza. Bj Major 

 E, Meixektzhagex, F.Z.S. 



[Received January 14, 1916 : Read April 4, 1916.] 



(Text-Hgures 1 & 2.) 



Index. 

 Systematic : Page 



Limnotragtis spekei sylvestris, subsp. u 380 



Ethologx 379, 380 



BuGALLA Island. 



The southern end of Bugalla, the main island of the Sesse 

 'Group, was visited on the 21st, 22nd, and 23rd October, 1915. 

 In all seven mature buck were examined in the flesh, whilst 

 twenty-two mature buck and over fifty other buck, females and 

 young, were observed, some at very close quarters. The animals 

 were found to be so plentiful at one spot, that as many as twelve 

 warrantable buck, nine females, and five young were seen from 

 one anthill. 



Colour, etc. — Old males appear typical of mainland specimens ; 

 a few white flecks and occasionally an obsolete sti'ipe can be 

 ■observed on the flank. Skin black and inclined to be hairless 

 between the horns. Hair very thin on the under parts, long and 

 ■coarse on the back. 



Adult females were seen to be both dark brown and red, the 

 latter colour predominating in the proportion of seven to one. 

 Bed females invariably had red young. Brown females were 

 nev^r seen with young, and they may be old ones past beaiing. 



All young seen were red, with white spots and flecks on the 

 flanks and hind quarters. Solitary young were often observed 

 lying in the open and away from their mothers. This is pro- 

 bably accounted for by the complete absence of any natural 

 enemies on the island. 



Skin very greasy. On placing a freshly shot buck in the water, 

 a film of oil floated to the surface. 



Skull and horns. — The amount of white at the tips of the 

 horns depends on the age of the animal. It seems that the horns 

 •of very old buck tend to lose altogether the white tips, which 

 are invariably present in younger individuals. Old buck wear 

 their horns to a considerable degree by rubbing them on trees 

 and anthills. This exposes the yellow under surface of the horn 

 ^md adds considerably to its beauty. 



The shape of the horns (text -fig. 1) is different from the usual 



25* 



