THE SPORTSMAN IN SOUTH AFRICA. 47 



not being much deeper in colour than rest of body ; front of shin bones, 

 including knees, of a dark rich plum; head rather shorter and forehead 

 broader than the Hartebeest. Horns shorter and flatter at the base, 

 and not so obtusely bent forwards. The females are horned, but more 

 slender. Spoor slightly larger, but same shape as Hartebeest.'] 



This antelope is only met with South of the Zambesi in some of the 

 countries in the direction of the East Coast between that river and 

 the Crocodile. It is plentiful in Umzeila's country and the neigh- 

 bourhood of the Eastern course of the SaBi, and is in every respect 

 similar in its habits to its congener (fig. 13, plate IV.) 



The Blue Wildebeest {Cannochoetes taurinus). Fig. 8, 

 Plate III. — Blaauw Wildebeest or Brindled gnu of the 

 Dutch ; Kukon of the Bechuanas ; In-kone-kone of the Muta- 

 bele.) 



\_Height of adult male about 4 feet j inches. General colour, bluish 

 grizzly, blackish brown in places, approaching to slate, striped with 

 obscure darker coloured vertical bands; body slopes away towards 

 rump; mane heavy and bristling, extending considerably down back; 

 brisket and under portion of tip covered with shaggy development of 

 hair; tail long, black, flowing, resembling that of a horse. Horns 

 spreading from 20 to 26 inches, points bending upwards and sharply 

 inwards, those of the cow being considerably smaller. Spoor 4 inches, 

 heart-shaped, broad at the heel and rather blunt at the points of hoof s.] 



The Blue Wildebeest (by which name it is generally known 

 throughout South Africa) is, practically, extinct in the Cape Colony 

 and the Orange Free State. It is now only first met with in its 

 most Southern range on the lower borders of the Kalahari, through 

 which the Molopo River flows in its most Western limits, a few 

 troops, last year, straying Eastward to within thirty miles of Mafe- 

 king, in Bechuanaland. Along the Western borders of Kanya, 

 Sichele's country, and in the heart of the Kalahari, it is still fairly 

 plentifal. In the Lake 'Ngami districts on both banks of the 

 Botletle River, and from thence right up to the Chobe and Zambesi, 

 it is quite common in suitable localities, and, at the present time, 

 large troops may be seen on the Ma-Chara-Chara and Mababe Flats, 

 and the country surrounding the great salt-pans of Makari Kari, 

 through which the main road passes to the Victoria Falls. In some 



