The Lechwe 



3°" 



round the edges of swamps, but it is an undeniable fact that these three 

 species all like to keep their feet on dry ground. The lechwe, on the 

 contrary, — at least I have found this to be the case wherever I have met 

 with this species — spends the greater part of its life knee-deep in the water, 

 grazing over flooded plains or in shallow lagoons, where the depth is 



F.g. 29— Head and fore-quarters of Lechwe (Coins kchi). 

 From a photograph by Mr. Poulctt-Weathcrly. 



insufficient to entirely submerge the young reeds and grass, on which it 

 feeds. When resting, these antelopes lie either just on the water's edge, or 

 actually in the shallowest part of the water. 



The hoof of the lechwe is longer than in the waterbuck, reedbuck, 

 or pookoo, but as it frequents flooded ground where the bottom is firm, it 

 has not developed the excessively long hoof which is necessary to the 

 situtunga to prevent it from sinking in the Palmyrus swamps frequented by 



