NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



at the shoulders being much greater than that at 

 the hindquarters, and its rather ungainly-looking 

 head, presents a rather ungraceful appearance, 

 particularly so when running. In consequence 

 of this elk-Hke form of body, the name of Alcelaphus 

 (Elk-stag) was given to it, a name which was very 

 appropriate ; but following the law of priority, the 

 older name of Bubalis was revived. 



In the Hartebeest group of antelopes the females 

 are horned, although, as in other species of horned 

 female antelopes, the horns are not so robust as 

 those of the male. 



THE CAPE HARTEBEEST 



{Bubalis caama) 



Red or Rooi Hartebeest of the Colonists ; Kaama of the Hotten- 

 tots {Smuts) and Bechuanas (Bryden) ; Indhluzele of Zulus ; 

 Ixama of Amaxosa {Stanford) ; 'Ama ingama of Makalakas 

 and Masawas {Selous). 



The Cape Hartebeest formerly inhabited the whole 

 df South Africa in immense numbers from the 

 coastal districts of the Cape as far north as Limpopo 

 River, and along the confines of the Kalahari Desert. 

 Sparrman and other travellers in South Africa 

 in the early days of its colonisation, record the 

 existence of this Hartebeest in the immediate neigh- 

 bourhood of Cape Town and Port Elizabeth. Sclater 

 mentions that they are stated to have existed in 

 Beaufort West as late as 1864. 



2 



