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“Uganda,” but we have since ascertained that this and another specimen, 
still in Mr. Jackson’s possession, were obtained on the Athi plains north of 
Kilimanjaro. Mr. Gedge assures us that no Gnus at all were met with by 
Mr. Jackson and himself in Uganda. 
Mr. Gedge has kindly supplied the following notes on his experiences with 
the Gnus of British East Africa :— 
“Both the Blue Wildebeeste and Jackson’s Wildebeeste are found in 
British East Africa, and are to be met with in great numbers on the Athi 
plains north of Ukambani. Of the two, the blue variety is, perhaps, more 
usually met with, though I would remark that on my upward journey to 
Uganda, in December 1892, I only encountered a few solitary specimens of 
the Blue form in a part where they are generally seen in hundreds, whereas 
on my downward journey, in the month of August of the following year, the 
same locality was entirely tenanted by Jackson’s Wildebeeste, which on this 
occasion were so tame that I was able to literally walk right in amongst them 
and knock them down with a small Winchester. This was really the one and 
only occasion that I have met with this latter variety in any great numbers. 
On the other hand, the Blue Wildebeeste will be found more or less commonly 
distributed over the Leikipia and Mau plateaux. It probably ranges over a 
very wide extent of country to the northwards, though I cannot remember 
having seen any Wildebeestes at all north of Lake Baringo. At the same 
time its non-appearance on the occasion of my visit may doubtless very easily 
be accounted for by the excessive dryness of the country at that time, and the 
consequent lack of pasturage. Similarly, I have never seen Gnus anywhere 
near the Victoria Lake, though possibly other travellers may have done so. 
The Gnu is an uncouth and ungainly beast in appearance, and, as arule, will 
not allow itself to be easily approached. As the open character of the country 
which it usually frequents more or less precludes any idea of being able 
to stalk it successfully, the method which I adopted, and which I found 
answered best, was to walk along quietly parallel to the herd, gradually edging 
inwards. On such occasions their natural curiosity would often allow a shot 
to be obtained at a distance of from a hundred and fifty to two hundred yards. 
Being tough and hard to kill, Gnus must be struck accurately by a weapon 
with a high degree of penetration. As an illustration of their great vitality, 
I would mention that on one occasion I had the misfortune to break both the 
fore legs of one just above the fetlock, and that in spite of these crippling 
Q 
