XVIII 
EL BOGOI TO MOMBASA 
415 
specimens and help in working out the distribution, being well acquainted 
with the two forms, is perhaps the only hunter who has killed the Two¬ 
horned Giraffe both in South and East Africa, and also the Three-horned 
species, having formerly killed Giraffes in South Africa when they were 
much more plentiful than they now are, and extended farther southward— 
tells me that on a journey from Mombasa as far as Usoga, on the route 
to Uganda, none were noticed but the southern or blotched kind, and that 
no Giraffes were seen west of the Naivasha Valley, the route taken from 
Naivasha to Kavirondo being more southerly than that at present followed 
by caravans. And writing to me on his recent successful hunting expedi¬ 
tion to the northern shores of Lake Rudolf, Mr. Neumann says :—“ I only 
observed the southern variety in the neighbourhood of the Athi or Sabaki 
River ; I had a good view of one a little south of that river. The northern 
species I found from the Tana River northward as far as I went, namely, 
to the north end of Bassu (Lake Rudolph) ; I mean, of .course, the kind 
with the defined polygonal pattern. Whether or not there are any of this 
kind south of the Tana I do not know, but I feel sure that in the direction 
I went it is the only sort to the north of that river. In some parts, 
particularly about the Gwaso Nyiro, it is very plentiful, far more so than I 
have ever seen the southern type anywhere. From a little north of the 
Lorogi Mountains, I met with no more Giraffes until near the north end 
of the lake, where I noticed a few in one locality.” 
With regard to the possible use of this massive head, I was anxious to 
find out whether the horns are used in fighting. Mr. Neumann says of 
the Three-horned species the nearest thing to fighting he has seen was 
two young males playfully butting one another with their heads ; he has 
seen Giraffes pressed by dogs keeping off their pursuers by kicking with 
their hind feet in rather a cowish fashion. Mr. Selous, on the other hand, 
says he once witnessed the following very pathetic incident—a newly- 
born calf lying in the grass was seized by two Leopards, the mother 
Giraffe at once coming to the rescue, fought with such effect with her fore 
feet that she succeeded in driving off the Leopards, but, unfortunately, one 
blow aimed at the Leopard struck the calf in the back, breaking it. On 
seeing this the hunter went up and put the poor little beast out of its 
misery. All hunters agree that the Giraffe never uses its head in self- 
defence. 
Grevy’s zebra is now well known, so far as regards its 
markings, as many skins have come from Somaliland, but it 
strikes me that the descriptions our naturalists give of the 
animal itself are not altogether accurate. As an unscientific 
observer, I have had great experience of this animal, and 
