THE ROAN ANTELOPE 
107 
two of his potential harem, with their fawns (besides a 
wart-hog - and some reedbucks), showed up, of him we 
saw no more. 
Following - are dimensions of my four Sudan roan :— 
Length of Homs 
on curve. 
Basal cir¬ 
cumference. 
Spread 
between Tips. 
Shoulder 
height. 
A. Bull. 
B. „ . . 
c. „ . • 
D. Cow. 
33 + 33 inches 
31H 3 °i ) j 
28 + 28 ,, 
22+21 „ 
9J inches 
n „ 
9 
„ 
9 f inches 
9 i » 
9l » 
62 inches 
59 „ 
Postscript. 
While hunting on the Binder river in 1920, Mr Francis 
Mitchell witnessed a scene which he thus described to me. 
Along the dry river-bed a herd of fifteen or twenty roan 
antelope were slowly strolling towards a pool of water. Pres¬ 
ently from the opposite bank a lion emerged and endeavoured 
—as it seemed, of deliberate purpose—to drive the roan on to 
the water-hole, whereat (as afterwards transpired) a lioness lay 
in ambush. The roan, however, rose to their occasion. For 
a while they had continued on their original course, though 
obviously suspicious of danger by the water; but, at the point 
where the lion came directly above their wind, they at once 
halted, formed up in line abreast—thus presenting a solid 
“defensive front”—and boldly advanced directly towards where 
the lion lay concealed. The latter retired, and, by a detour, 
joined his mate by the water. Whether she upbraided him or 
otherwise, the lion proceeded to make a second attempt to 
drive in the roan, but always keeping at some distance beyond 
them. Once more he failed. These bold antelopes again 
assumed the aggressive, and finally the lion returned discomfited 
to the water-hole . . . where Mitchell shot him. 
