1905.] GREATER KUDU OF SOMALILAXD. 141, 



strepsiceros strepsiceros, with, probably, zamhesiensis as one of its 

 synonyms. 



In connection with the difference between the two races of the 

 Greater Kudu, an interesting point arises for elucidation. It has 

 been shown that the northei-n type is distinguished fi-om the 

 southern by possessing only about half as many stripes on each 

 side of the body. But the Lesser Kudu [S. imbei-bis), which also 

 inhabits Somaliland, has even a greater number of stripes than 

 the southern race of the Gi-eatei' Kudu — namely, tv/elve oi- thirteen 

 on each side. Thus within the limits of the genus the greatest 

 contrast in matter of coloration subsists between the two species 

 inhabiting Somaliland. And those who believe that the spots and 

 stripes of Antelopes have been primarily acquired or secondarily 

 retained, as a means of enabling species to distinguish their own 

 kind from others of similar or somewhat similar form inhabiting 

 the same area, may be tempted to parade the case of these two 

 )Somaliland Kudus in support of the theory. 



I have, however, elsewhere* brought together and briefly stated 

 a considerable amount of evidence that the significance of the 

 variegated pattei-ns of Antelopes in general, and of the Ti-agela- 

 phines in particular, is prociyptic or celative — that of the Tragela- 

 phines being very obviously correlated with the bush-life affected 

 by the majority of the species, and its absence with a life in the 

 desert or plains, as attested by the stripeless, dun-coloured Eland 

 of the Kalahari and the slate-grey or fawn-coloured Nylghaie of 

 India. In connection with the two species of Somali Kudus, I 

 cited the published statements of such reliable authoiities as 

 Swayne and Inverarity to prove that the very beautifully marked 

 Lesser Kudu of that country is found in thick jungle, whereas 

 the relatively poorly adorned Greater Kudu frequents mountainous 

 broken ground less thickly overgrown with vegetation. In 

 confirmation of this, I am glad to be able to quote the testimony 

 of Mr. Frederick Gillett, F.Z.S., who, without being aware of the 

 drift of my question, told me of his own knowledge that the 

 Greater Kudu lives in hilly or rocky country and the Lesser in 

 the lower ground, very generally amongst the luxuriant growth 

 along the river-banks. Thus, since the species do not associate, 

 they furnish no case for the advocates of the theory of " recog- 

 nition " marks. On the contrary, the difference of habitat, corre- 

 lated with the difiei'ence in coloration, practically establishes, in 

 the absence of any other explanation, a causal connection between 

 the two. This being so, it may be further inferred that the 

 similar, though less marked, differences between the northern 

 and southern i-aces of the Greater Kudu will be found to be 

 associated with a corresponding difference in habitat — the southern 

 foi-m appi'oaching more nearly in this respect, as also in coloration, 

 to the Lesser Kudu. At present, however, there are not, so far 



* ' Nature,' Oct. lltli, 1900, pp. .584-385. 



