Hunting Notes of a Bushman. 
has a body as large as a donkey, but its legs are shorter, 
and it is of a dark brown, almost black, colour all over. 
The other kind is slightly smaller and of a lighter colour, 
and has white tips to its ears. Maipooris are nocturnal in 
their habits, and are never found far from water. They 
feed on different wild fruits, particularly on the seeds of 
the aeta palm [Mauritia flexuosd) and also on the leaves 
of several small trees ; to get the latter the maipoori seizes 
the tree in its mouth, and bending it sideways, breaks it 
down sufficiently to get at the leaves. Indians when going 
through the forest often break small trees in a similar 
way to mark their trail, and an inexperienced person 
would see little difference in the breakings, and might 
lose himself, mistaking the track along which a maipoori 
had been feeding for a " cortahie" (the name of an Indian 
track made by breaking the small trees as described) . Mai- 
poories like a dry place to sleep during the day and are 
particularly fond of a " moorie" for that purpose. Moorie 
is the Indian name for the low shrub that grows on bar- 
ren white sand, and gives its name to the places on 
which it grows. A moorie* is always high and dry, and 
the bushes growing on it make it difficult to detect the 
maipoori. In dry weather the fallen leaves must 
especially be carefully avoided, as they make a 
crackling sound when trod on that are sure to attract 
attention. The maipoori always turns before it lies 
down and faces the direction from which it came. Its 
eyesight is not particularly acute, but its ears and nose 
are ever ready for the slightest noise and taint in the 
air. The cry of the maipoori is a sharp shrill whistle 
* For a further account of moories see Timehri, Vol I. p. 291. — Ed. 
B 
