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evening (within the above limits) they may be found feeding in the open grass-covered 
plains which are dotted with small scrubby bushes, patches of tall durr-grass, and 
immensely tall white-ant hills. During the heat of the day they retire to the shade of 
some solitary tree, where the dark mouse-colour of their backs makes them particularly 
hard to pick out. Here they stand motionless throughout the hot hours, apparently 
drowsy, but in reality alert, and watching the landscape with the keenest eyes for signs 
of danger from man, or the deadliest of all their enemies—the leopard. In the opinion 
of the Midgan (the Somali hunting tribe) these are the wariest of Antelope, and I have 
always had great difficulty in getting within shot, partly because of the open nature of 
their feeding-ground, but principally on account of their watchfulness and keenness of 
vision at unusually great distances. On one occasion, being lucky enough to get 
within 100 yards of two, and finding them to be a female and calf, I contented myself 
with watching ; and for upwards of half an hour, whilst they fed, not two consecutive 
mouthfuls were taken without the head being sharply raised and a suspicious glance 
taken all round. In preference they feed upon the smal) bushes, their long necks 
enabling them to reach up to the young shoots, like Waller’s Gazelle. although thev 
appear to choose a less thorny variety. I have met with them occasionally singly, 
generally in twos or threes, and once only as many as five together. When disturbed 
they stand rigid, head upraised, ears erect, tail stiffening, and the instant they begin to 
run the tail (which is unusually long) stands up perpendicularly, presenting, as they 
gallop away with their springy bounding action, rather the appearance of a yawl’s” 
mizzen-mast in a sea-way. ‘Thus they make a particularly difficult mark for the 
disgusted stalker, who, exhausted by a long and arduous crawl through the scanty cover, 
probably gets nothing but the flukiest of snap-shots at the coveted specimen. ” 
Through the kind intervention of Mr. Pease we have also received some 
interesting particulars as to a wider range of the “ Dibatag” from Lieut. R. 
Ward Jackson, of the 11th Hussars, who, accompanied by Capt. M.S. Wellby, 
has receutly penetrated far into the eastern interior of the Somaliland 
peninsula.- Mr. Jackson writes as follows :— 
“In my journey I first saw Dibatag between Bair and Kirrit. They appear to be 
scattered all over the country between Bair and Hodayu, and I found them most 
plentiful about 25 miles from Kirrit. There Wellby shot three and wounded a fourth 
in one day, but, as a rule, I saw two or three each day in a march of about 20 miles. 
“Travelling eastward from Hodayu they gradually appeared to grow less plentiful, 
and the last record I have of having seen one was about 150 miles from Hodayu. 
After this I saw no more until between Dagha Dalola and Mudug, about 130 miles 
from the former, inthe Mijourten country. Here I was surprised to find them again very 
plenti‘ul for three days, and J saw a few on the following three days, after which they 
again ceased. A week afterwards I found them again plentiful in the Marehan country, 
gradually diminishing in numbers as we travelled south; the Jast I saw was about 
40 miles before we struck the Webbe Shebeyli. On the homeward journey I came 
; 
