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EDITORIAL GLEANINGS. 



The British South Africa Company have issued a volume of 

 Eeports on the Administration of Ehodesia, 1898-1900, which con- 

 tains a wealth of information respecting the development of this large 

 area. We can only refer to ' Notes on the Fauna of North-eastern 

 Rhodesia,' written by Mr. C. P. Chesnaye, Secretary to the Adminis- 

 tration of North-eastern Rhodesia, and confine ourselves to the report 

 on the Mammalia. 



The district lying to the west of the Loangwa and the swamps of 

 Bangweolo and Mweru form a natural home for the larger Mammalia 

 and Reptilia. The Elephant is still to be found in large herds in 

 these districts, its haunts being protected from the hunter owing to the 

 feeding-grounds for a greater part of the year being in almost in- 

 accessible swamps. The formation of a game-reserve in the country 

 lying east of the Mweru Lake, which has been effected by the Ad- 

 ministration, will assist in a great measure to preserve these animals. 

 South of the Tanganyika Plateau there are several Swahili traders 

 who continually hunt the Elephant, and there is no doubt that in a 

 few years the Elephants in that district will gradually retire into the 

 reserve, where they can live and breed without fear of molestation. 

 The Rhinoceros is found in several districts, but more or less localized 

 in bushy country. Tiiey have been met with on the Loangwa and 

 Chambezi Rivers, and are numerous in the waterless country between 

 M'kupa's village and Kaulungombie on Lake Mweru. The horns of 

 this animal, as an article of export, are not of much intrinsic value, 

 but the hide is valuable cut into strips. The Hippopotamus inhabits 

 all swamps and rivers, and is also found in the sheltered bays of Lake 

 Tanganyika, where these animals are constantly seen in herds of from 

 twenty to thirty. The export of Hippo hide appears to be increasing, 

 as a good price can now be obtained for it in the South African market. 

 As far as can be ascertained, it appears there is a solitary herd of 

 Giraffe roaming about the Loangwa Valley, consisting of from twenty 

 to thirty head. These interesting animals have been seen by traders, 

 and are stated to resemble the Somaliland species rather than that 

 found south of the Zambesi. Owing to the effects of the " Sokoto," 



