9 
between their knees, and flourishing their streaming black tails, tear away in 
long regular files at a furious gallop, wheeling curiously about at a distance 
of two or three hundred yards, advancing boldly towards the danger, tossing 
their shaggy heads in a threatening manner—presently making a sudden stop, 
presenting an impenetrable front of horns, and staring wildly at the object of 
their mistrust. .. . When engaged in grazing they have an extremely dull 
and clumsy appearance, and at a little distance might often be mistaken for 
wild buffaloes; but their manner is sportive—at one moment standing to gaze 
at nothing, and at the next scampering over the plain without any apparent 
object in view, making grotesque curvets and plunges, with their preposterous 
Bonassus-looking heads held down between the fore legs.” 
In his valuable ‘ Illustrations of South-African Zoology,’ Sir Andrew Smith 
gives an excellent account of this species (published in August 1842), accom- 
panied by an indifferent figure of the female and young. Sir Andrew justly 
observes that this and the Common Gnu are two of the most interesting and 
extraordinary quadrupeds which occur in South Africa. ‘‘ When either the 
one or other of those animals, especially under excitement, stands in front of 
an observer, with the head and anterior parts of the body only distinctly 
visible, the idea of its strong resemblance to a small ox immediately arises. 
When, again, its body and posterior parts are the portions most conspicuously 
in view, the likeness to a horse is remarkable; but when its limbs only 
are taken in review, it presents a strong similarity to the more typical 
Antelopes.” 
At the time when these observations were made both the Gnus, according 
to Sir Andrew Smith, inhabited, in enormous multitudes, the grassy plains to 
the northward of the Vaal River, and after the fall of the summer rains were 
in the habit of advancing simultaneously in large herds as far as the southern 
branches of the Orange River. But on reaching the latter stream singularly 
enough the Brindled Gnu ceased to advance, and the Common Gnu alone 
passed into the Cape Colony. The appearance of the latter to the south of 
the Orange River was the signal for hunters of all denominations to prepare 
for the chase, and though the yearly slaughter was very great the herds in 
those days never ceased to renew their periodical visitations. Strongly 
expressed as are the views of both Andrew Smith and Harris as to the line 
of demarcation between the two species of Gnu, there seems to be some 
doubt as to their correctness. An excellent recent authority, Mr. H. A. 
Ip 
