XII 
THE FAUNA OF SOMALILAND 
299 
Antelopes — The Beisa Opyx ( Oryx beisa) 
Native name, Beit 
The beisa oryx is a stoutly-built antelope, standing as high 
as a donkey, and inhabiting open, stony ground, barren hills, 
or open grass plains. It is fairly common and widely dis- 
tributed over Somaliland, and may be found in all kinds of 
country except the thick 
jungle with aloe under- 
growth so much liked by 
the lesser koodoo, and the 
cedar-forests on the higher 
ranges. The best beisa 
ground is in the Haud and 
Ogaden. 
The beisa feeds chiefly 
on grass, and is often found 
far from water. It has keen 
sight, and probably protects 
itself more by this than by 
its sense of hearing or scent. 
Beisa are found in herds of 
from half a dozen to thirty 
or forty, chiefly composed of 
cows. The only antelopes 
which go in very large herds 
in Northern Somaliland are 
the hartebeest and Soemmer- 
ring’s gazelle. Bull beisa are found wandering singly all over 
the country, and possibly these make up in number for the 
preponderance of cows in the herds. 
Sometimes two or three cows with calves will be found 
together, making up a small herd of half a dozen. It is nearly 
impossible to distinguish which are the bulls in a herd, and 
they are so few in proportion to the cows that it is best, if 
shooting for sport alone, not to fire at herd animals at all. The 
bull is slightly thicker in the neck and higher in the withers 
than the cow ; and the horns, though an inch or two shorter in 
the bull, are more massive, especially about the base, and more 
symmetrical, whilst the cow’s horns are frequently bent and of 
unequal length. The beisa is often revengeful when wounded 
Length of horns, 34^ inches. 
