250 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD 



Continent. It frequents dry open plains and thin bush, but not 

 absolutely waterless districts, as, unlike so many Antelopes, it likes an 

 occasional drink. 



It is very gregarious, being usually found in herds containing one 

 to several score ; at some seasons the bulls associate apart from the 

 cows and young. A lone bull will often be found associating with 

 other Antelopes, and the herds are often in company with Burchell's 

 Zebras. 



Black-tailed Gnus are quarrelsome and excitable animals, and their 

 antics, prancing and whisking their long black tails, are very charac- 

 teristic. They are wary and hard to approach, and, if wounded, are 

 remarkable for their extraordinary tenacity of life and power of travel- 

 ling under injuries — even a broken limb will not disable them. It 

 may be truly said of Antelopes that " they run in all shapes " ; for the 

 heavy-headed, awkward-looking Gnu is really one of the swiftest and 

 most enduring animals in existence, and even when severely wounded 

 is often too much for a horseman. 



When brought to bay he is dangerous, and will charge savagely. 

 Except for a trophy, he is not much good when brought to book, the 

 venison he furnishes being of very inferior quality from a European 

 point of view. 



These Gnus do well in captivity, and may generally be seen at the 

 London Zoological Gardens, where they have bred ; they are, however, 

 dangerous animals to deal with. 



THE WHITE-TAILED GNU 



(Connochcstes gnu) 



This is the real original Gnu — the name being a Hottentot one — but 

 it is very rare nowadays — almost extinct, in fact. It shows an 

 exaggeration of the peculiarities of the Brindled species ; its horns are 

 more sharply bent down and abruptly turned up, showing a very 

 decided " pot-hook " shape ; its neck is arched, and decorated by a 

 stiff erect mane, and its tail is particularly bushy and horse-like. As 

 the name of the species implies, the tail is white, the mane is also 

 white at the roots, though dark at the tips. The general colour of 



