CATOBLEPAS TAURINA. 
T he Gnus and the Buffalo, on the other hand, rarely fly immediately on their discovering 
noises or appearances which excite their surprise or apprehension ; and although they manifestly 
experience feelings which incline them to escape danger by a retreat, yet they appear so 
strongly influenced by a desire to acquire some insight into the nature of the danger, that they 
rarely depart without first making strenuous efforts to gain their point. That sort of curiosity 
often leads both, but particularly the Gnus, to expose themselves to danger greater than that 
from which they might readily escape in the first instance, by its inclining or propelling them 
to approach the objects of their fears ere they fly, apparently for the purpose of ascertaining their 
real nature and character. From this peculiarity in their disposition we often see a herd whose 
curiosity may have been roused by wagons and hunters passing in the vicinity of spots, over 
which its members may be browsing, scamper towards them, and even approach within musket 
shot of them before they halt to carry out their purpose. The discharge of guns often proves, 
during these advances, the cause of their halting, and it is rarely that they will take a hint, as 
is done by most other animals, from the reception they experience, and turn and fly. 
Frequently the only result which follows the discharge of muskets is a momentary halt, a gaze, 
a confused rush in no given direction, and then a determined attempt to persevere in the direction 
they had been pursuing, even though such should carry them nearer to the position of their 
assailants. In proportion as the degree of danger increases, in the same proportion does also 
their disposition to persevere and manifest fantastic movements and plunges increase ; and 
every shot which is fired at individuals under such circumstances only calls forth further extra- 
ordinary gestures, tosses of the head, or wild kicks of the hinder extremities, just such as are 
practised by wild cattle similarly situated. 
Their gait as they fly bears a strong resemblance to the gallop of a horse, and in their manner 
of arranging themselves during their flight, one upon the heels of another, they strongly resemble 
many of the larger antelopes. 
Both species of Gnu inhabit, during a certain period of the year, the extensive grassy plains 
which exist some considerable distance to the northwards of the Vaal River ; and at another 
period a portion of each, at least, advances to the southward to feed upon the vegetation which 
occurs in that direction after the fall of the summer rains. Both species advance simulta- 
neously as far as the southern branches of the Orange River, but on reaching those, the species 
here figured ceases to advance, and the common species ( Catoblepas Gnu ) passes by itself 
into the Colony. The appearance of the latter is the signal to hunters of all denominations to 
prepare for the chase, and though the yearly slaughter is very great, there is apparently no 
reluctance in the survivors to renew their periodical visitations. From having for a period of 
years attentively observed the proceedings of animals which migrate, I am much disposed to 
believe that among them at least two different impulses operate : the one, the result of the will 
of the animal ; the other independent of that will, and purely an uncontrollable instinct, which 
forces them blindly to follow their inclination even when the doing so necessarily leads to 
their destruction. Among the animals of the first description, I would rank the Elephant, 
Hippopotamus, and Rhinoceros; among the latter the Gnu — the Spring Boh ( Antelope 
euchore ) the Gems Bok ( Oryx Capensis ,) &c. The facts which have led me to form these 
opinions, I shall detail at length hereafter; and although I do not feel that they are sufficient, 
either in number or strength, to establish the point, yet they are sufficient to justify me in 
surmising such to be probably the law of nature. 
