MAMMALS 
297 
Discovered 1894. Height at withers, 20 inches. Colour of neck and back 
purple-gray ; head fawn ; white ring round eyes ; short bushy purple-gray 
tail. Measurement of horn, 4^ inches. 
Swayne’s Hartebeest (Bubalis swaynei). 
Native name : seek. 
Found in vast herds on all the big open buns (plains) of Somaliland north 
of Ogaden, such as Bun Jiggiga (where there are thousands). Bun Toyo, 
Bun Saylah, and Bun Arori. 
Length of a fine male before skinning ... 8 feet 14 inches. 
Length of a fine female before skinning ... 7 feet. 
Horn measurements : 
Length on front curve 
Circumference 
Tip to tip 
f My best male 
\ ,, ,, female 
I' My best male 
\ ,, ,, female 
My best male 
,, ,, female 
17^ inches. 
13 ^ 
9 
7 
19 ^ 
19 
95 
99 
99 
99 
9 ' 
Male head dark red-brown, getting lighter down the body until reaching 
the rump, which is a very light fawn ; broad black or very dark brown 
mark down from of face and above the knees ; tail has tip of long black 
hairs. Female much lighter in colour ; horns thinner ; no dark marking 
down face. These animals when moving away from one look very much 
like red deer. They stand upon the open plains for hours as though asleep, 
without moving, and in a very odd attitude, resembling large donkeys. 
Hunter’s Hartebeest (B. hunteri). 
North bank of Tana Elver, South Somaliland. 
Colour of whole body rufous, except a white line on forehead, extending 
from eye to eye. Length of horns, 25 inches. 
The Giraffe {Gi raffa Camelopardalis). 
Aulihan country, south of the Webbi Shebeyli, and generally between that 
river and the Gan ana. 
Colour light yellow ; less spotted than the South African variety. Height, 
18 feet. 
The Camel (Camelus dromedarius). 
Found all over Somaliland. 
A dirty yellow coat of short hairs. Height, 64 to 7 feet. One hump. 
Young have curly woolly coats. These animals will go for over a month 
without water, if they have no work and plenty of green grass. Amount 
of water in stomach of one killed which had drunk a week before and 
had light work, two bucketfuls ; amount of water in stomach of one killed 
after a week’s hard work, with no green grass and no water, 2 pints. 
Camels are bred extensively by the Somalis for eating purposes. The 
animals are very fat, and have enormous humps ; they do not work. The 
meat is greatly esteemed by the Somalis, and I quite agree with them 
that it is the best meat in the countr 3 \ 
