The Roan Antelope 409 



antelopes, though I have often seen the former feeding in company with 

 elands, the two species running off together on being alarmed. 



Roan antelopes differ considerably one from another in colour, some 

 being of a very light grayish or brownish shade, whilst others are reddish 

 roan or dark gray. When standing in an open plain with the sun shining 

 upon them, they often look almost white, which accounts for the name of 

 •white sable antelope by which they are known in many native dialects. Like 

 the sable antelope, the roan runs with great speed and endurance, and, 

 except in the case of cows heavy with calf, cannot be run down with an 

 ordinary South African shooting pony. I have had many a long chase 

 after a roan bull on the open downs of Mashunaland, but never succeeded 

 in overtaking one without first having wounded him. After being chased 

 for a mile or two, roan antelopes run with their mouths open, but, excepting 

 in the case of cows heavy with calf, which may come to a standstill at any 

 moment, I have found that they will go on running with their mouths 

 open until they have tired out anything but an exceptionally good horse. 

 The first calves are dropped in August, and the bulk of them in September 

 and October. At first the little creatures are scarcely distinguishable from 

 very young sable antelope calves. They are, however, somewhat lighter 

 in colour, with longer ears, and the incipient face-markings are also slightly 

 different. 



Specimens of both, as well as of adult animals, may be seen in the 

 Mammalian Gallery of the Natural History Museum at South Kensington. 

 When living in open plains, roan antelope will be found to be very keen- 

 sighted and they will not allow a mounted man to approach them without 

 a hard gallop; but if encountered in open forest in a district where they 

 have not been much persecuted, they will not run until one is pretty near 

 them, and if not pressed will keep stopping and looking round at their 

 pursuer, often affording several good chances for a shot before finally 

 making up their minds to settle down to a steady run. When wounded, a 

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