Swayne's Hartebeest 147 



first and the hartebeests the last to move away. They have great curiosity, 

 and will rush round a caravan, occasionally wheeling and halting to gaze. 



These animals are very handsome, with heavy, powerful fore-quarters, 

 falling away towards the hinder parts. The coat is as glossy as that of a 

 well-groomed horse. 



The hartebeest bulls are very pugnacious, and two or three couples 

 may be seen fighting round the same herd at the same time. 1 



From living so much in the open plains, these hartebeests must subsist 

 entirely on grass or weeds, for there is nothing else for them to eat, and 

 they must be able to exist for several days without water. 



The hartebeest is about as large as a donkey, but the head is held 

 much higher. The horns vary greatly in shape, some being short and 

 massive, others long and pointed, with all the gradations between these two 

 extremes. Some curve forward with the points thrown back, others curve 

 outwards in a plane with the forehead. The dark lean head of an old bull 

 is a very handsome trophy, and the long skull has a remarkable symmetry. 



H. G. C. SWAYNE. 



Coke's Hartebeest (Bubalis cokei) 



In British East Africa 



Swahili Name, Kongoni 



The antelope whose name heads this section may be called the common 



hartebeest of the part of Eastern Africa under consideration, at least of 



the section ot it extending from the neighbourhood of the coast to about 



250 to 300 miles inland. In general appearance it resembles the other 



hartebeests, among all of which there is a strong family likeness ; it is of 



a light yellowish-red colour (redder in the bulls), and in size is somewhat 



ago, show exactly the same characteristics. — Ed. 



