KUNQL. SV. VET. AKADEMIBNS HANDLINGAK. BAND 48, N:0 5. 131 



On the acacia steppe north of Meru boma we met with the first Grevy's Zebras 

 between Itiolu and Lekiundu rivers. They were rather common there in herds varying 

 in number. On the march between the rivers mentioned I saw a mixed herd of 

 the common or Grant's zebras arid Grevy's zebras. The animals were grazing quite 

 peacefully together, and it was evident that the two species did not take any more 

 notice of each other than either species would have done, if the other had been 

 Oryx-antelopes or any other kind of non related animals. It is thus evident that 

 these two species are physiologically so distant that they have no feeling of relation- 

 ship and rivalry, otherwise the stallions of the larger species hardly would have 

 tolerated those of the smaller in the same intimately mixed herd. 



Round our camp at Lekiundu river »Kanganis», as these zebras are called by 

 the natives, were rather numerous, and two fine stallions were shot there the first 

 afternoon. When we were returning to camp with the skins and skeletons of these 

 specimens after sunset I heard for the first time the peculiar cry of the Kangani, 

 and I confess it was the most uncanny sound I ever heard in Africa (Lions, Leo- 

 pards, Hyenas etc. not forgotten). It has nothing at all in common with the rather 

 melodious bark of the zebras, but reminds more about the braying of an ass. It is 

 very difficult to describe it starts like a grunt and is continued into a kind of long 

 drawn out howl or scream variegated with grunts and shriller sounds. It is nothing 

 equine about this cry, and one cannot imagine that this ghastly performance is 

 produced by the beautiful Kangani. 



The Kanganis were mostly seen on the quite open steppe, often in company 

 with Oryx-antelopes. As a rule they were not very shy, and often it was not con- 

 nected with much difficulty to come within range. Sometimes, however, they behaved 

 quite differently and galopped away like mad as soon as they perceived any human 

 being, even if they had not got the wind of him.^ 



In the thornbush country north of Guaso Nyiri the Kanganis were not so nu- 

 merous as on the stepp:r. Single specimens were also oftener seen there. They lived 

 chiefly in such places where the thornbush was not very thick, and where some open 

 places more or less covered with grass could be found. 



The 18*1^ of March when we again had crossed Guaso Nyiri to the southern 

 side I saw on the steppe several Kangani mares accompanied by young foals which 

 still were fawn-coloured. Eggsevblt found young foals with the Kanganis in the 

 latter part of Sept. which thus indicates irregular breeding-habits. 



The hoofs of the Kangani are broad and horse-like. Ridg\vay^ offers as an 

 explanation of this the theory that nt is not a mountain animal, but always keeps 

 rather to the low and often swampy ground ». The localities where I had the op- 

 portunity of studying this animal were never swampy. It is possible, however, that 

 in some places on the southern side of Guaso Nyiri the dust of the dry season will 

 turn into mud in the rainy. In certain localities the steppe, especially near Itiolu 



1 Roosevelt »found the Kangani even more wary and difficult to shoot than the oryx». (^African Game 

 Trails*, p. 293.) 



^ Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1909, p. 563. 



i 



