18 
In 1861, when Mr. E. L. Layard prepared his Catalogue of the specimens 
in the collection of the South African Museum at Capetown, the Oribi was 
already nearly exterminated in the colony. But it still existed, he tells us, 
near Alexandria and Bedford in Somerset, and in some of the eastern 
divisions where large grassy plains are found. An “intelligent Kaffir,” 
attached to the Museum, informed Mr. Layard that “the Oribi when slain 
by the natives belongs to the chief, who presents the fortunate hunter with 
a young cow inreturn. The skins of the Oribi are considered in the light 
of regal ermine and very highly valued.” 
When, however, we come to the open plains of Natal and Zululand we are 
assured by Messrs. Nicolls and Eglington, in the ‘Sportsman in South 
Africa,’ that the Oribi is even now very common. It also frequents the 
Transvaal in fair numbers, the Orange Free State, and parts of Matabeleland 
and Mashonaland. <A few specimens are said to have been obtained in 
Bechuanaland, but it is unknown in the Kalahari Desert, and thence towards 
the west. The same observers tell us that ‘in speed the Oribi is very fast, 
and that it dodges from side to side when it runs in a peculiar manner with 
a series of leaps and rushes. It frequents the open flats, singly or in pairs, 
but keeps within reasonable distance of water.” 
As regards the exact range of the Oribi in Mashonaland, Mr. F. C. Selous, 
in his ‘ Hunter's Wanderings,’ gives us the following particulars :—‘“ North 
of the Limpopo, this Antelope is only to be met with in the following 
districts, viz. in north-eastern Mashunaland from the river Umzweswe to 
beyond the river Hanyana, in the open valleys which occur between the 
forest belts near the watershed, but to the north of the Machabe hills; on 
the exposed open downs nearer the watershed, and lying between the 
Machabe hills and Intaba Insimbi, I never saw any. On a large flat about 
fifty miles to the south of the junction of the Umfule and Umniati rivers, I 
saw a good many Oribi in 1880. Except in this district of the Mashuna 
country, the only other place south of the Zambesi where this Antelope 
exists is in the valley of Gazuma, an open boggy flat of only a few hundred 
acres in extent, which is situated at about thirty miles to the south-west of 
the Victoria Falls. Then again a few are to be seen on the northern bank 
of the Chobe, on the open ground bordering the marsh, in the neighbourhood 
of Linyanti. One never sees more than two or three of these Antelopes 
