44 THE SPORTSMAN IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



almost similar to those of the Lechwe, not, however, being such 

 a water -loving animal as that variety. Although it never strays 

 any distance from water, it does not appear to enter it except when 

 pursued, confining its pasturage entirely to the dry land. The flesh 

 is very rank. 



The Waterbuck {Kobus ellipsiprymnus). Fig. 12, Plate IV. 

 {Kring-ghat of the T)Vi'ic\\; Tumogha of the Bechuanas; Li 

 Tumogha of the Matabele; Mashigi-gig of the Makobas and 

 Botletle.) 



\_Height of full-grown male often considerably more than 4 feet. 

 Body very thick set; legs and neck short and powerful; hair., most 

 abundant about the neck, long, very coarse, of a uniform colour of 

 grizzly brownish grey; very distinct large white ring extends over 

 tail and round lower portion of rump; semi-collar of white under 

 chin; streak of white below each eye; tail slender, rather short and 

 tufted. Average length of horns about 27 inches, hut sometimes 

 attaining to JI along the curve, lyrate, broadly and boldly annii- 

 lated almost to tips, greyish-brown. Females hornless. Spoor 

 J% inches, extremely narrow in comparison with other species, and 

 very pointed^ 



This iine game-looking and stately antelope is now only rarely met 

 with in some of the unfrequented districts on the Northern confines 

 of the Transvaal in the neighbourhood of the Crocodile, and more 

 occasionally in the low country towards Delagoa Bay. On the 

 upper banks of that river and some of its tributaries it is still fairly 

 abundant, as also in portions of Mashonaland where not recently 

 driven out. In the sparely visited countries of the independent 

 native tribes bordering the East Coast, between the mouths of the 

 Zambesi and Crocodile, as also in the broken country along the 

 Zambesi itself, and most of the streams of Northern Matabeleland, it 

 is still very plentiful. West of the Crocodile, the Waterbuck is 

 first found in the bush country lining the Botletle, Tamulakani or 

 Tumoghanokani, Okavango and Chobe Rivers. It may be met with 

 in small herds (generally composed of one old male and the rest 

 females) either in flat or broken country, but it generally frequents 

 the latter, being invariably found within easy reach of water, , to 

 which it will always head and enter when pursued ; or if wounded 



