CHAPTER VIII. 
Trapping and collecting in Somaliland. 
‘ Trapping ! How very unsportsmanlike !’ I fancy I can 
hear someone say. I hope, however, that every true 
sportsman is a bit of a naturalist, and will collect for the 
advancement of science as well as shoot for the advance- 
ment of perhaps nothing but a private collection of game 
trophies. 
Do not go into the country with the sole idea of lion or 
elephant hunting only ; you will probably be miserably 
disappointed. Do not take a shikari who says he cares for 
nothing but lions ; he will turn up his nose at the idea of 
an oryx, almost have a fit if you fire at a bird, and promptly 
expire if you bring out a butterfly net ! If you take out 
a man like this your expedition will be an utter waste of 
time and money. It will be a useless expedition. 
Without traps it is almost impossible to collect certain 
of the animals of the country. They cannot be shot, 
because they are either seen only at night, or they are too 
small and would be spoilt with a charge of shot at close 
quarters. Amongst the animals to be trapped, which can 
seldom be shot, may be mentioned the wild dog. 
In a three months’ expedition it is about twenty to one 
against getting a shot in the daytime at a spotted hyaena, 
and about one hundred to one against seeing a striped 
hyaena, much less shooting one either by day or by night I 
But both these animals can, with care, be trapped. The 
striped hyaena (which is comparatively rare, and possesses. 
