4° THE SPORTSMAN IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



The Nakong or Sitatunga {Tragelaphus spekel). Fig. 31, 

 Plate VIII. — {Waterskaap of the Emigrant Boers; Nakong 

 of the Bechuanas ; Sitatunga of the Barotse, Makobas, and 

 Masieuvias.) 



\_IIezght of adult ram about 3 feet "J inches. Body thick set; the 

 young^ soon after birth, are very dark in colour, almost approaching 

 black, and striped traversely in a similar manner to T. scriptus 

 but according as the anir)j.al advances in age these stripes become 

 more and more indefinable until completely lost on arriving at 

 maturity ; hair of adults is very long and woolly in texture. 

 General colour, dusty umherish brown, approaching white under- 

 neath and inside legs and shins; brown white spot on each cheek 

 and white band across nose under the eyes; the hoofs, very much 

 elongated, sometimes exceed 6 inches in length, being totally devoid 

 of hair behind up to the^ dew claw. When very young the animals 

 stand on the points of the hoofs. Horns almost indistinguishable 

 in shape from those of the Inyala, being more closely annulated, 

 however, sometimes attaining a length of 2 feet, but averaging 21 

 inches. Females hornless.^ 



In the sole companionship of malaria, mosquitoes, water fowls, and 

 noisome reptiles, this antelope, individually or in pairs, is only found 

 South of the Zambesi, frequenting the impenetrable swamps and 

 dense papyrus beds of Lake 'Ngami, the Okavango, Tamulakanii 

 Mababe, Maschabe, and Chobe Rivers. It is also said to be met 

 with along some of the great lakes of Central Africa. Never ven- 

 turing on the mainland, it is only during the hours of darkness that 

 it forsakes its watery haunts, and passes the night time in repose on 

 the drier ground of some small island overgrown with thick reeds or 

 dwarf palms, returning again before dawn to the fastnesses of the 

 morass, where, during the day, it feeds on the young sprouts of 

 aquatic vegetation. Owing to the disproportionate length of the 

 hoofs, as observed in the only living specimen as yet obtained, and 

 which is now located in the Zoological Gardens, London,* the 



» The specimen referred to — a female — was found by the dead body of its dam, 

 which was shot by Mr. J. A. Nicolls (one of the authors) in the Taohe swamp, 40 miles 

 North of Lake 'JJ^gami, and was by him presented to the Zoological Society in the 

 latter part of 1890. An account of the circumstances under which it was found and 

 brought to England appeared in the Field, 1st March, 1891. The antelope at the 

 time of going to press (July, 1892) was in excellent health and condition. 



