290 
EASTERN ETHIOPIA 
XXIII 
a favourite prey of the wild dogs. Impalla run together 
in herds Avhich may contain any number from ten to 
sixty. 
These antelopes are famous for their powers of leap¬ 
ing, which is especially displayed when the herd is 
alarmed. They do not mix, much with other 
antelopes but they have been seen with oryx, hartebeest, 
and waterbuck. When a number of impalla are 
scattered in an acacia grove I found it difficult to 
distinguish them among the trees unless they moved. 
Although beautiful and graceful, impallas are very 
pugnacious among themselves and the bucks are 
apparently very jealous. Dugmore states that an 
amorous impalla buck “is a beautiful sight,” for it 
spreads, or displays, the long hairs of the rump, and 
the vertical dark streak on either side of the rosettes 
forms a natural border or fringes to them. The excited 
buck causes consternation among the herd, emitting 
repeated loud roaring grunts, chasing first one and then 
another of the does. 
The Gerenuk is a very curious antelope ; it has long 
leo^s, a giraffe-like neck and an elongated muzzle. The 
Swahilis call it the “ little giraffe.” The horns, present 
only in the male, are massive and annulated. The 
gerenuk skull is so hard that it has received the specific 
name litliocranius. By itself the long-legged gerenuk 
appears eccentric among gazelles, but the Dibatag of 
Somaliland and the Addra gazelle, of the Soudan, 
bridge the gap between gazelles and gerenuks. 
The gerenuk browses on the branches and leaves of 
trees and shrubs ; in order to reach the young green 
shoots it will stand up on its hind-legs with its fore-legs 
resting on the branches like a goat. When trotting 
it stretches its head and neck forward until these parts 
are nearly on the same plane as its back and they look 
like greyhounds. They occur in small herds of six or 
seven and are wary animals. It is stated that the 
Somalis will not eat the flesh of the gerenuk though 
