124 A DESCRIPTION OF 
distance from each other, to prepare for the attack, by fall- 
ing down upon their knees ; they then shuffled towards 
each other, still keeping upon their knees ; and, at the 
distance of a few yards, they made a spring, and darted 
against each other with great force. 
The following anecdote will serve to show that these 
animals are sometimes fierce and vicious, and not to be 
depended upon : A labouring man, without knowing that 
the animal was near him, went up to the outside of the 
enclosure : the Nyl Ghau, with the quickness of lightning, 
darted against the woodwork with such violence, that he 
dashed it to pieces, and broke one of his horns close to 
the root. The death of the animal, soon after, was sup- 
posed to be owing to the injury he sustained by the blow. 
THE GNU. (Ant'dope Gnu.) 
THIS very singular animal may be called a horned horse; 
as it has the shape and mane of a horse, with the addition 
of a formidable pair of horns, a kind of beard below the 
chin, and a fringe of hair below the body, along the breast- 
bone. The habits of the animal also agree in many re- 
spects with those of the wild horse. The Gnus live toge- 
