1905.] ELAXD OF THE BAHR EL GHAZAL. 289 



to me typical horns are very straight, stout, and heavy, have the 

 spiral ridges very strongly developed, and generally measure 

 nearly as much between the tips as they do in length. 



The first specimens of this Eland killed by an Englishman (to 

 my knowledge) were shot about two years ago by Col.-Sergt. 

 Boardman, Egyptian Army, in the country west of Dem Zubeir— 

 just north of the 7th degree of N. latitude. The extreme 

 thickness of the neck-skins proved too much for the worthy 

 sergeant's taxidermic ability, and he managed to save only the 

 skulls and horns. Beyond the facts that the animals were striped, 

 that he could only just get his arms round theii- necks, and that 

 he shot them in pyjamas from the door of his tent (!), I could not 

 obtain much information fi-om him. 



About a year ago the late Captain Haynes, R.A.M.C, while 

 accompanying a punitive expedition in the Niam-Niam country, 

 wounded a bull, but had to leave the animal owing to want of 

 time. A few days later the gallant officer received the wound 

 which caused his death, subsequent to which the head of his 

 Eland was recovered and brought in by natives. 



In 1903 Mr. Leo Franco, an employe of the Forest Depart- 

 ment, shot two bulls near old Wau, but also faUed to preserve the 

 thick skins ; and quite recently thi ee British officers have suc- 

 ceeded in shooting specimens only a short distance from Wau. 



One of these fortunate sportsmen — Bimbashi Collins, Egyptian 

 Army — has kindly sent me a letter containing a description and 

 measurements of the two animals shot by him, and also their 

 head-skins and hides to forward to England. From his letter, 

 and from my examination of the skins, the following description 

 (the credit for obtaining which belongs entirely to Bimbashi 

 Collins) is drawn up : — 



Description o/" Taurotragus derbianus gigas, adult mcde. 



Height at withers 68 inches. 



The frontal mat of hair dark chocolate brown, merging into the 

 colour of the nose, which is black. Sides of the head light grey, 

 becoming pale fawn-colour on the cheeks. From the anterior 

 angle of each eye a narrow white stripe runs forwards and 

 inwards, sharply defining the edges of the frontal mat. On each 

 cheek, about 2 inches behind and rather below the eye, there is a 

 circular white spot about an inch in diameter, surrounding two or 

 three coarse black hairs an inch in length. 



The upper lip and chin are white. 



The ears are large and wide, externally mostly black, but with 

 grey bases and conspicuous white tips ; inside they are black and 

 white. The lai'ge, pendulous dewlap is whitish grey, with a 

 narrow mane of coarse black hair running below it from the 

 throat to the chest, where it terminates in a lai-ge tuft. The 

 hairs in this mane are from 2 to 4 inches in length ; at the centre 

 of the dewlap there is a small mingling of white hairs. The sides 



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