West African Hartebeest 137 



country. In this belt it is frequently met with, and even there it appears to 

 prefer the scrub to any open spaceswhich may occur at intervals in the locality. 

 On and near the River Niger it is plentiful between Boussa and Idah, 

 between which places the country, more or less hilly in nature, is covered 

 with the light tree-scrub of the « Bassia Parki " and similar trees. On the 

 River Benue it is not found on the big stretches of open grasslands which 

 are a feature of that river ; but wherever the land rises and becomes 

 covered with a bush similar to that of the Niger the Bubalis major is almost 

 invariably to be found. 



It wanders about in herds of from half a dozen to a score, rarely 

 exceeding the latter number. Pairs are seldom met with, though single 

 bulls are occasionally seen well away from any herd. The young bulls 

 appear to take to a solitary life when approaching maturity, probably 

 before their strength is sufficient to entitle them to and enable them to 

 maintain a sire's position in the herd. Old bulls likewise appear to be 

 turned out of the herd, and are met wandering in lonely condition. If the 

 stories of natives are to be believed, and they are corroborated by the 

 common recurrence of arenas wherein exist signs of fierce struggles, the 

 bull hartebeest is constantly called upon to maintain at the point of the 

 horn his position in the herd. 



The West African hartebeest is a curious mixture of sharp wits and 

 stupidity. Very keen of scent and also quick of sight, it may at times be 

 quite easily deceived, and, even when thoroughly alarmed, it frequently 

 fairly blunders to its death. After a considerable experience in hunting 

 them, it is quite impossible to lay down with any degree of certainty the 

 probable behaviour of a herd upon its being alarmed. I have more than 

 once come suddenly upon a single beast within 50 yards, and, by at once 

 assuming an absolute rigidity of attitude, without moving so much as an 

 eyelash, its suspicions have been dulled and it has proceeded quietly with 

 its feeding. At other times a glimpse of the hunter is sufficient to send 



