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wounds the poor beast was able to cover a distance of nearly half a mile on 
its stumps before I came sufficiently near to administer the coup-de-grdce. 
This was in spite of the fact that, in addition to this severe injury, it had 
received two other solid express bullets in its body, one of which was after- 
wards discovered to have penetrated the base of the heart. When alarmed 
the Gnu usually runs but a short distance at a time, at a stiff ungainly 
gallop, whisking its tail round in the most comical fashion. It then stops 
and turns to inspect the object of its alarm, at the same time uttering 
a few snorts. Having satisfied itself of the approaching danger, it will 
again gallop off and pursue the same tactics several times if unmolested. 
It is a very harmless and inoffensive animal in spite of its ferocious 
aspect.” 
As regards the Gnus of German East Africa there is the same difficulty. 
Herr Matschie has kindly sent to Sclater the following notes on this 
subject :-— 
‘“« At Berlin we have received from Oscar Neumann several skins and skulls, 
young and old, of the Gnu [procured during his recent journey northwards 
from Irangi up the east side of Lake Victoria]. 
** All of these have white neck-manes and chin-bunches and brownish heads 
and manes, but in some cases the latter are mixed with white, and the tails 
are of a similar colour. ‘The body is dirty greyish brown, without a trace of 
bluish. One old bull shows vertical stripes on the front of the body, the 
hairs having been worn short. 
“The localities are—between Ngera and Irangi; Mount Guerui; Mgogo, 
north of the Manyara Lake ; and further on as far as Ngare Dobasch, where 
they cease. 
‘“* Neumann writes that on Mount Guerui and farther along he observed the 
two varieties living apart. On the Guerui he saw at the same time a herd of 
light-coloured Gnus, and a herd varying from bluish black to biack, but no 
transitional forms.” 
From Mgogo, Neumann writes :—“ By the six skins which I obtained 
[these skins have not yet arrived in Berlin] I hope to prove that there are two 
species, or, at any rate, varieties of Gnus—one lilac-black grey, and the other 
bright yellowish brown. On the Mangoto natron-swamp they kept apart. 
Here in Mgogo the black form predominates, so that it seems to be the 
more northern. Of two young examples of about the same age, judging from 
