172 EINAK LONNBERG, MAMMALS COLLECTED BY THE SWEDISH ZOOLOGICAL EXPEDITION ETC. 



The first Gerenuks were seen by this expedition among scattered groups of 

 bushes, and in patches of thornbush on the steppe around Lekiundu river south of 

 Guaso Nyiri. In the thornbush country north of the latter river the Gerenuks were 

 common. They were usually seen in small families from three to about seven, but 

 sometimes also single. Good bucks, which are very much larger than the does and 

 the young bucks, are by far not numerous compared with the other specimens. Some- 

 times I did not see a good buck for several days, although not a day passed without 

 that a good many Gerenuks of small size were observed. The best buck which I 

 saw and succeeded to shoot was single. The habits of these peculiar antelopes have 

 been repeatedly and correctly described (conf. the quotations in the »Book of Ante- 

 lopes», and in Lydekker's »The Game Animals of Africaj, etc.). The Gerenuks are 

 wary, and in some places even shy, so that they do not admit the shooter at a 

 shorter range than about 300 m., and as they, as a rule, only show their long nar- 

 row necks they are then by no means an easy target. In the thicker thornbush 

 north of Guaso Nyiri they were less shy, and to a certain extent even curious. In 

 the grey and leaf-less thornbush the stalking sportsman or naturalist often sees at 

 some distance two or three vertical rufous streaks; that is the erect necks of some 

 Gerenuks which stare for some moments at the intruder in their dominion. If they 

 are within reasonable range it is time to shoot, although the bodies are entirely hid- 

 den and the necks narrow. But if one moves to continue the stalk the Gerenuks 

 dive down with their necks below the bushes and disappear. As a rule they do not 

 go straight away, but oftener their »long crouching trot» carries them obliquely to- 

 wards one side or the other. If the sportsman sees the direction, and the thornbush 

 is not too thick, they may often be intercepted by making a short cut because, as 

 a rule, they do not go very far before the rufous necks appear again behind some 

 bush. This may be repeated a couple of times before they disappear completely, or 

 it has been ascertained that there is no good buck in the little flock. 



The Gerenuk is in a marvelous manner adopted to the life in the thornbush. 

 Its slender form enables it to slink through narrow openings in the bush, and its 

 sleek coat does not catch in the thorns. The skin is rather thin, except on the neck 

 of the buck where it is thick, but of a soft and elastic, almost rubber-like consis- 

 tency, unlike other antelope skins. 



The Gerenuk is a browser feeding on the leaves, tender shoots, and, during the 

 dry season at least, to great extent on the berries of the different kinds of bushes. 

 Their long and slender legs, long and narrow necks, long, hairy and movable hps enable 

 them to reach high up in the bushes, especially when they rise on the hind legs as 

 they often do. I have had the pleasure of seeing that myself, and I am thus able 

 to testify that the figure reproduced on p. 232 in Vol. Ill of 3>Book of Antelopes* 

 depicts two very characteristic attitudes of this interesting animal. There is a very 

 striking analogy in the shape, not only of the neck and head, but also of the lips 

 between a Giraffe and a Gerenuk. Thanks to this wonderful adaptation the Gere- 

 nuk is able to sustain itself on such dainty material in this barren-looking desert as 

 the thornbush appears to be during the dry season, that its intestinal canal, as I 



