MAMMALIA. 5i63, 



1 was nortli of Massowa. On our journey to the Anseba 

 and Bogos, we met with none, though Captain Mockler 

 and I found their fresh tracks near one of the drinking- 

 places ; but when returning, I stopped for three days at 

 a halting-place in the semi-desert north of Massowa, and 

 I succeeded in shooting four of these superb and rare 

 Antelopes. All were females : but there is little, if 

 any, difference in the sexes, both having equally fine 

 horns. 



The Beisa is found singly or in small herds, rarely 

 exceeding ten in number, in the somewhat hUly barren 

 country near the sea-coast. They are said to keep to 

 the more hilly parts of Samhar. Near Annesley Bay, 

 where the country is more wooded, this Antelope does 

 not occur, but it abounds farther south in the Somali 

 country, and the horns are brought in considerable 

 numbers to Aden from Berbera. They are used as 

 weapons by the Somalis. 



The principal food of the Oryx near Massowa is a 

 coarse grass almost resembling a diminutive bamboo. 

 They appear to be grazers rather than browsers, although, 

 like all Antelopes, they occasionally eat the young shoots 

 of Acacia and other trees. They are quite diurnal in 

 their habits, feeding in the morning and evening, in 

 this respect resembling the Gazelles, to which they are 

 unquestionably closely allied. When we were in the 

 Samhar country in July and August, the Oryx drank 

 apparently every day, always coming to the water about 

 one or two o'clock. It is probable that they drink less 

 regularly in cold weather. 



