THE WEST AFRICAN HARTEBEEST 
BUBALIS MAJOR 
T HIS antelope is very similar in appearance to the Bubal, but 
it is a much larger animal, standing sometimes as much as 
four and a half feet at the shoulder, with massive horns which 
have been known to measure as much as twenty -six inches in 
length. In general colour the West African hartebeest is of a 
darker shade than the Bubal, especially on the upper portions 
of the body, and besides having a black tail as in that species, it has 
also black markings on the front of both fore and hind legs. Its horns 
are of the same general shape as in the Bubal, but they are more heavily 
ringed, more massive, and have longer smooth points than in that 
species. There are, however, great individual differences in the horns 
of this species, some having a somewhat squat appearance, whilst others 
are so much longer that they much resemble the horns of the Cape 
species. 
The West African hartebeest is not found anywhere in the thick forest 
belt which fringes the west coast of Africa, but in the more open country 
further in the interior it is widely distributed from Senegambia to the 
Equator. It is said to eschew open grass land and to prefer districts covered 
with a thin growth of bush or forest. Living in small herds of from half-a- 
dozen to twenty individuals, this hartebeest is said to be wary, like all its 
tribe, and to supplement very sharp sight with great powers of scent. 
All who have hunted this species on horseback have found it a very 
fleet and enduring animal, and in these respects, as in general habits, it 
no doubt agrees with all other hartebeests. 
