West African Eland 439 



the hunter must be continually on the look-out, otherwise the elands will see 



him and make off before being seen themselves. ^ „ r n 



5 G. W. Penrice. 



The West African Eland (Jaurotragus derbianus) 

 Mandingo Name, Jinke-Janko 

 This splendid eland, known also as the Derbian and Senegambian eland, 

 is almost completely unknown, except by a few horns, to hunters and 

 zoologists of the present day. When a former Earl of Derby maintained 

 his magnificent collection of wild animals at Knowsley, living examples of 

 this eland were to be found there. At the present time, and for many 

 years, no living specimens have been known in Europe, nor do enterprising 

 hunters seem to have penetrated Senegambia or the adjacent territories for 

 the purpose of collecting trophies and skins of this immense antelope. 

 The bulls of the West African eland are reputed to have been without the 

 thick, dark, bushy frontal tuft so well known upon mature male elands in 

 other parts of Africa. The largest known pair of horns of the common or 

 of Livingstone's eland do not exceed a length of 35vV inches ; but there is 

 a single horn of the West African eland in the Berlin Museum which 

 measures no less than 40 inches in length, and has a circumference at base 

 of 13^ inches. Another pair in the Paris Museum measure 39! inches in 

 length. The horns of this eland may be described as usually much stouter 

 and bigger in circumference than those of the other two species. The 

 animal itself is, it is believed, considerably larger than its congener in other 

 parts of Africa. All specimens, whether of horns or of the living animal, 

 that have hitherto reached Europe have come from the region of the River 

 Gambia, where this eland is reported to be found usually in open country. 

 It may be hoped and expected that within the next few years some fresh 

 information concerning this magnificent eland will be contributed by 

 enterprising Englishmen. H. A. Bryden. 



