310 Great and Small Game of Africa 



In East Africa 

 Swahili Name, To/ie ; Masai, Daragway ; Wanderobbo, Erigutiandet. 

 The reedbuck of East Africa has a very wide range, as it is found in 

 such places as are suitable to its habits, from the Arusha-wa-chivi country 

 south of Kilimanjaro, right away north to Lake Baringo and west to the 

 Nile valley. In 1887 it was plentiful in the Kilimanjaro district, along 

 the banks of the Wevi Wevi River, and there were also a few on the 

 edge of a large swamp, east of the Rombo plains. Farther north there 

 are a fair number in the marshy ground north of Lake Elmeteita, and 

 on the eastern slopes of the Mau escarpment in the vicinity of the Ravine 

 station, at an altitude of 7500 feet. Its real home, however, is the rolling 

 grassy downs of the Mau plateau, where it is very abundant along the 

 courses ot the numerous streams which flow into the Nzoia River. On 

 the banks of the various small streams which form the head waters of the 

 Etaketok River, on the outskirts of the Nandi, and about two hours' 

 walk from the Government station, it was very plentiful in 1898, and I 

 have seen as many as a dozen or more in a short day's shooting. Here 

 the country is very undulating, and the small streams running along the 

 hollows the low-lying places overflow their banks and form marshes of 

 several acres in extent, in which tall re;ds, bulrushes and other water- 

 loving plants flourish and afford both good feeding and cover for this buck. 

 During the heat of the day this reedbuck lies up in the long grass and 

 patches of scrub on the rolling hillsides overlooking the reed-beds in the 

 low-lying swampy courses of the stream. It is never found far from 

 water. In the early morning, up till about 8.30 a.m., it is found either 

 feeding in these hollows or generally wandering about in search of a 

 suitable dry place to lie down in until about 4 p.m., when it is once more 

 on the move. The early morning and evening are therefore the best times 



