346 



SPRINGER. 



two or three years. These animals, in their course, 

 desolate Caffraria, spreading over the whole coun- 

 try, and not leaving a blade of grass. Lions at- 

 tend them : where one of those beasts of prey are, 

 the place is known by the vast void visible in the 

 midst of the timorous herd. On its approach to 

 the Cape, it is observed that the avant guard is 

 very fat, the centre less so, and the rear guard al- 

 most starved, being reduced to live on the roots 

 of the plants devoured by those which went be- 

 fore ; but on their return they become the avant 

 guard, and thrive in their turn on the renewed 

 ■ vegetation ; while the former, now changed into 

 the rear guard, are famished by being compel- 

 led to take up Avith the leavings of the others. 

 These animals are quite fearless, when assembled 

 in such mighty armies, nor can a man pass th ;ough 

 unless he compels them to give w^ay with a whip 

 or a stick. When taken young they are easily do- 

 mesticated : the males are very wanton, and are 

 apt to ])i\it at strangers with their horns." 



The expansile white part on the end of the 

 back of this animal is a highly singular circum- 

 stance. It is formed by a duplicature of the skin 

 in that part, the inside and edges being milk 

 white ; when the animal is at rest, the edges alone 

 appear, resembling a white stripe, but when alarm- 

 ed, or in motion, the cavity, or white iatermediate 

 space, appears in form of a large o\ al patch of 

 that colour. j» 



