THE WHITE-EARED KOB 
sixty miles further west. The bucks were then in full rut, and were of all 
colours from red to dark blackish brown, though the darkest one I saw — 
and shot — was not as black as the male white-eared kob in the Natural 
History Museum in South Kensington. From all I saw and heard of the 
white-eared kobs in the Bahr-el-Ghazal province, I think it is more than 
probable that in this district the males begin to change from red to black 
in February as the rutting season comes on, getting darker as the season 
advances; but I fancy that most of them only turn partially dark, and that 
none of them become as black as those found to the east of the Nile. During 
the rainy season, which commences in May and lasts till October, what- 
ever amount of dark coloration has been assumed is probably retained, 
but as the dry season comes on, this probably fades until by the end of the 
year, even the darkest -coloured bucks have become red again. Of course, 
this is only a theory, and it will require careful observation during an 
entire year to verify or disprove it. Unfortunately, such observation will 
be very difficult, if not impossible, as in the Bahr-el-Ghazal province the 
grass grows to a height of ten or twelve feet during the rainy season, and 
all antelopes are then hidden from view for a period of several months 
until the long grass becomes dry enough to burn. The same difficulty in 
making continuous observations on the white -eared kobs will apply 
equally to the districts east of the Nile, where the rainfall is fully as heavy 
and where the grass grows quite as long. 
White-eared kobs are very plentiful in the countries they frequent, and 
may often be seen in herds numbering two or three hundred individuals. 
In the rutting season these great herds break up, from ten to twenty ewes 
being taken possession of by the strongest bucks, who will not permit any 
rival to approach their herds. At this time some of the old bucks which 
have been worsted in battle sulk and live by themselves. The young and 
half-grown bucks are allowed to accompany the females. Like all other 
kob antelopes, the white-eared species are not very wary or difficult to 
approach before they have been much hunted, but no doubt they soon learn 
wisdom by experience. They are fond of feeding on the sides of large 
antheaps, where the grass is no doubt sweeter than elsewhere, and when 
their hunger has been satisfied they will often stand on the summit of these 
antheaps for a long time. Should a fine buck be seen in such a position, it 
is as well to wait until he moves before attempting a stalk, unless there 
should happen to be bushes or other antheaps under cover of which to 
make an approach. 
T 
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