264 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD 



were it not for the different horns of the buck. In size it about 

 equals a Pony, and is heavily built, not light and elegant like the 

 Kobs in general ; its strong horns are about two and a half feet long. 

 The general colour is light brown, with a curious elliptical ring of 

 white on the hind-quarters, quite unlike any marking found on any 

 other animal. 



This Antelope, which has a peculiarly noble appearance, in spite 

 of its somewhat coarse build and pelage, is not an aquatic species, as 

 its name would imply, but merely haunts the neighbourhood of water, 

 and sometimes takes to it to stand at bay when pursued. At such 

 times it is dangerous, as it defends itself fiercely. It frequents bushy 

 country, but feeds chiefly on grass, and it is a good climber, ascend- 

 ing rocky ground with great agility. Usually it goes in small herds, 

 consisting of a buck and a few does. Its meat is very poor indeed, 

 being so rank that nothing but sheer hunger is likely to recommend 

 it to a European palate. The Waterbuck is widely distributed over 

 Africa, from Somaliland to the Limpopo River in the south ; but in 

 the west and in parts of East Africa it is represented by the above- 

 mentioned Sing-Sing, which has not the white ring on the stern, but 

 is otherwise very similar. 



THE LECHWE 



(Coins lechi) 



The Lechwe is rather smaller than the Waterbuck, not being much 

 over a yard at the shoulder; its colour is very handsome, being a 

 rich bay, with black down the front of the limbs and white belly. 

 The backs of the pastern-joints are naked, as in the swamp-frequenting 

 Tragelaphine Antelopes like the Situtunga, although the hoofs are not 

 lengthened as in those animals. The Lechwe is, indeed, also an 

 aquatic Antelope, but does not frequent marshy soft-bottomed swamps, 

 rather affecting flooded plains, on which it wades about in large herds, 

 browsing on such plants as project above the water. It swims well, 

 as might be expected, but does not do so as long as it can get a 

 "take-off" from the bottom, preferring to splash along by a succession 

 of bounds. 



