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up a small herd of half a dozen. It is nearly impossible to distinguish which are the 
bulls in a herd, and they are so few in proportion to the cows that it is best, if shooting 
for sport alone, not to fire at a herd at all. The bull is slightly thicker in the neck 
and higher in the withers than the cow; and the horns, though an inch or two shorter 
in the bull, are more massive, especially about the base, and more symmetrical, whilst 
the cow’s horns are frequently bent and of unequal length. The Oryx is often 
revengeful when wounded and brought to bay ; twice I have seen a wounded one make 
a determined charge into a mob of Somalis armed with spears. 
“The Midgans, who are armed with bows and poisoned arrows, hunt the Oryx with 
packs of savage yellow pariah-dogs. The thick skin round the withers of a bull is 
made by them into a white gdshan or fighting shield. The method of hunting, as 
carried out by the Midgans in the Bulhar Plain, is as follows :—Three or four of them, 
with about fifteen dogs, go out just before dawn, and walk along silently through the 
scattered thorn-trees till fresh tracks are found, and these are followed till the game is 
sighted. By throwing stones, whistling, and other signs which the dogs understand, 
they are shown the herd, and settle down to their work. The dogs run mute, the men 
following at a crouching trot, which in a Somali is: untiring; and this lasts until the 
dogs open in chorus, having brought the game to bay. The Oryxes make repeated 
charges at the dogs, which they often wound or kill. If the latter can avoid the sharp 
horns of the mother they fasten on to a calf, and sometimes the whole herd will charge 
to the rescue. The “Midgdns run up silently under cover of the bushes and let off 
a flight of poisoned arrows into the herd, which, seeing the human enemy, takes to 
flight. Frequently an animal wounded by a poisoned arrow takes a line of its own, 
and is in due time carefully followed up and found dead, or it may be pulled down in 
its weak state by the dogs.” 
Mz. D. G. Elliot, in his report on the collection of the Mammals of Somali- 
land made for the Field-Columbian Museum of Chicago in 1896, writes of 
the Beisa as follows :— 
“Oryxes are not often seen in the country north of the Golis Range, but their 
numbers increase as the Haud is traversed, and on the south of Toyo and in Ogaden 
they are plentiful. At a distance it is impossible to distinguish the bulls from the cows, 
as both carry horns, those of the cows more slender and usually longer than the average 
of bulls’ horns. But this difference in size is not perceptible unless one is very close to 
the animals. The horns are annulated for two-thirds their length, then become smooth, 
and end in a sharp point. The average lengths of bulls’ horns are not much over 
30 inches, although occasionally specimens are obtained that are several inches 
longer, and the cows’ horns sometimes reach a length of 37 or 38 inches. They are 
very formidable weapons, and it is dangerous to approach a wounded Oryx. In 
charging its enemy the Oryx puts its head low down between its fore legs, with the 
horns pointed forward not much above the ground, and rushes at the object of its hate 
with much swiftness. These lance-like horns are quite capable of passing entirely 
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