54 THE SPORTSMAN IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



very similar in colour to the skin of the antelope itself. Its 

 movements are so rapid and noiseless that at one moment it may be 

 observed and the next have disappeared without the slightest sound. 

 The hide is very endurable and much sought after by wagon drivers, 

 who make it into voorslag (leashes) for ox whips. The flesh is 

 particularly good, and the marrow bones are specially recommended 

 as a luxury. 



The Eland {Oreas cannd). Fig. 21, Plate VI. — {Ehland of the 

 Dutch; Pohu of the Bechuanas; Impohu of the Matabele; 

 Mohu of the Mashonas ; Doo of the Masarwas.) 



The appearance of this animal, the largest of all known antelopes, 

 whether in Africa or elsewhere, has so often been described and 

 portrayed, that a few remarks on the subject will be sufficient. 

 The Eland bull of the Kalahari often stands 6 feet at the shoulder, 

 and occasionally exceeds that height. Further North it considerably 

 decreases in size, and changes greatly in colour ; so much so that 

 Mr. Selous says that the Elands shot by him North of the Zambesi 

 " are beautifully marked, having nine broad white stripes on each 

 side, and a dark black line down the centre of the back." This is 

 the Eland which Dr. Livingstone has described, and which has 

 been by some considered an entirely new variety. Indeed, Colonel 

 Faddy, R.A., who had the good fortune to shoot several specimens 

 of this particular type when in South Africa, was generally dis- 

 credited after he had specifically referred to its characteristics, until 

 he produced their skins in verification of his statements. Those 

 found on the South of the Botletle bear no such white marks 

 as those above referred to, but are ' of a uniformly bluish-grey 

 dun colour, while those frequenting the Northern banks of that 

 river are marked more or less indistinctly. The foreheads of the 

 old bulls are adorned with a thick tuft of wiry brown hair ; the 

 dewlap is excessively prominent and fringed with long hair of a , 

 deep brown colour ; tail over 2 feet in length, with a tuft of hair 

 at the extremity, its general appearance being very characteristic of 

 a stall-fed ox. Horns of the males average a little over 2 feet, 

 occasionally measuring 30 inches, massive, nearly straight, spiral. 

 Those of the females are more slender, averaging about 28 inches, 

 sometimes attaining to 34 inches, divergent and twisted. The 

 spoor is difficult to distinguish from that of a three-year old ox, 

 except that on examination the points of the hoof will be found to 



