THE ZOOLOGIST 



No. 726.—December, 1901. 



THE BLAAUWBOK (HIPPOTBAGUS LEVCOPHMUS). 



By Graham Renshaw, M.B. 



(Plate III.) 



The astonishing fecundity of many animals has for long 

 years been a subject of interest to the zoologist, though un- 

 fortunately too often a curse to the colonist and to the farmer. 

 The species possessing this marvellous vitality flourish even 

 under the most adverse circumstances, in spite of the attacks of 

 countless enemies, even when man himself is added to the list of 

 destroyers — such species as the White Cabbage Butterflies 

 amongst insects, the Herring amongst fishes, the House-Spar- 

 row amongst birds, and Rats and Rabbits amongst the Mam- 

 malia. 



On the other hand, to-day we deplore the loss of many fine 

 animals, some of which have perished from unknown causes, or 

 from natural changes in their environment ; the remainder, alas ! 

 have been directly harried out of existence by man, either for 

 food — for the sake of the paltry commercial value of their 

 skins or carcases — or (still less excusably) in sheer wasteful 

 wanton destruction, the hunters killing for killing's sake. How 

 far these mournful results might have been avoided it is im- 

 possible now to say, but the facts remain. Never again will the 

 gigantic Moa {Dinornis sp.) wander through the ferny solitudes of 

 Zool. 4th ser. vol. V., December, 1901. 2 m 



