302 CAPT. H. G. C. SWAYNE ON THE [May 3, 



Kudus are found in mountainous or very broken ground where 

 there is plenty of bush and good grass and water. 



Sometimes a solitary old bull Kudu will make his mid-day lair 

 close to water, in some quiet part of the hills. They are very retiring, 

 and live in small families, two bulls and seven cows being the largest 

 number I have noticed together. They prefer the steepest mountains, 

 but wander about at night in search of grass in broken ground in 

 the neiglibouring plains. 



An old male with a heavy pair of horns avoids thick jungle, where 

 they may catch in the branches, and likes to spend the heat of the 

 day under the shadow of some great rock on the mountain-side, 

 where he can get a good view around. His eyes, nose, and ears 

 appear to be equally on the alert, and he is olten very cunning. 



Although such a heavy animal he is a good climber. He is hard 

 to stalk, but, once successfully approached, the steep nature of the 

 ground generally yields him up an easy victim to the rifle. 



The alarm-note of the female Kudu is a loud startling bark, which 

 echoes far into the hills around, and is similar to that of the Indian 

 Sambar hind. The bark is accompanied by an impatient pawing of 

 the ground with the hoofs. 



The habits of the Greater and Lesser Kudu of Somallland exactly 

 correspond respectively to those of the Indian Sambar and Spotted 

 Deer. Great Kudus live in the mountains; Lesser Kudus live on 

 the bush-covered slopes at their base. 



Kudus are generally timid, but care must be taken when coming 

 suddenly on them, as I once saw an unwounded bull Kudu make a 

 very determined charge from some thirty yards' distance at a solitary 

 man, who had been sent to stop the mouth of a gorge. The man 

 jumped to one side and threw his spear, grazing the beast's flank. 

 The Kudu galloped out into the plain and escaped. I had a good 

 view of this, and there could be no doubt as to the intention of the 

 beast. 



The Kudu is the largest of all the Somali Antelopes, a large bull 

 standing about 13 hands 1 inch. A good pair of horns in Somali- 

 land will measure nearly 3 feet from base to tip, and 48 inches 

 round the spiral of each horn. The largest Somali Kudu head I 

 have ever seen measured 56 inches round the spiraL 



The Kudu is rare except in the highest mountains. It is found 

 on the highest ground of Northern Somaliland, inhabiting the top 

 of Wagar Mountain and Golis Range, which rise respectively to six 

 thousand eight hundred and six thousand feet. 



Kudus have lately become very shy and scarce in these mountains. 

 A Kudu head is a great prize, and a good pair of horns should be 

 ample reward for a fortnight's climbing in the hills. 



Kiidus, although active climbers, are not fast on level ground. 



3. The Lesser Kudu {Strepsiceros imberbis). 



Gddir or Arreh-G6dir (male) ; Ader-yu (female) ; Ader-yu (col- 

 lective). 



