338 
TO THE UASIN GISHU [ch. xii 
which we did not want. There were one or two big 
bushbuck rams, but they broke back through the 
beaters ; and so did two bushbuck ewes and one reed- 
buck ewe, one of the bushbuck ewes actually knocking 
down a beater. They usually either cleared out while 
the beaters were still half a mile distant, or else waited 
until they were almost trodden on. The bushbuck 
rams were very dark coloured; the hornless ewes and 
the young were a brilliant red, the belly, the under side 
and edges of the conspicuous fluffy tail, and a few dim 
spots on the cheeks and flanks being white. Although 
these buck frequent thick cover, forest, or swamp, and 
trust for their safety to hiding, and to eluding observa¬ 
tion by their stealthy, skulking ways, then coloration 
has not the smallest protective value, being, on the 
contrary, very conspicuous in both sexes, but especially 
in the females and young, who most need protection. 
Bushbuck utter a loud bark. The hoofs of those we 
shot were very long, as is often the case with water- 
loving, marsh-frequenting species. There is a curious 
collar-like space around the neck, on which there is no 
hair. Although, if anything, smaller than our white- 
tail deer, the bushbuck is a vicious and redoubtable 
fighter, and will charge a man without hesitation. 
The last day we were at the ’Nzoi the porters 
petitioned for one ample meal of meat, and we shot 
a dozen buck for them—kangani, kob, and singsing. 
One of the latter, a very fine bull, fairly charged Kermit 
and his gun-bearer when they got within a few yards of 
it, as it lay wounded. This bull grunted loudly as he 
charged ; the grunt of an oryx under similar circum¬ 
stances is almost a growl. On this day both Kermit 
and I were led to bee trees by honey-birds, and took 
some of the honey for lunch. Kermit stayed after his 
