SOME NATURAL HISTORY 
255 
rambling on the high plains near Mount Elgon I 
think I saw several hundred head of topi, always 
shy and quick to take alarm. 
The meat is the most delicious of any of the 
large antelopes, and the skin, when properly cared 
for, is as soft as kid and as brilliant as watered silk. 
The head is a fine trophy on account of its rich color¬ 
ing rather than because of its 
horns, which are not particu¬ 
larly graceful in curve or pro¬ 
portion, but which are wonder¬ 
fully ridged. 
I am sure that if I were a 
beautiful topi with a skin like 
watered silk I should be deeply 
humiliated to be mistaken for 
a singing sun hat. 
The topi’s nearest relations 
are the sasseby, the tiang, and 
the korrigum. And now you 
know all about the topi. The 
game ordinance allows the 
sportsman to kill two topi, and the holder of a 
license will work hard to get his two, for they are 
splendid trophies. 
The duiker is another little antelope that one 
meets frequently in the grassy places of East 
Africa. It is small, with dark complexion, and 
goes through the high grass in a way that 
strongly suggests the diving of a porpoise at sea. 
In fact, it gets its Dutch name for that reason, 
Topi 
