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Show 756 MR. F. C. SELOUS ON AFRICAN A N T E L O P E S . [June 21, I have twice met with the Roan Antelope to the south of Bamangwato, once on the Limpopo and once on the Notuanil. In the neighbourhood of the Tati in South-western Matabele land it is not uncommon ; and all along the road from there to the Zambesi it may be met with, though nowhere plentiful; as far as I have been along the Chobe it is to be found sparingly, and also in the Mababe country. Throughout the Mashuna country it is tolerably plentiful ; and in the Manica country north of the Zambesi also I saw a good many. In fact it is to be found over a vast extent of country in central South Africa, but is nowhere to be met with in very large numbers. A herd of twenty together is seldom to be seen. The Roan Antelopes differ very much one from another in colour, some being of a strawberry-roan, others of a deep dark grey or brown, and others again so light in colour as to appear almost white at a distance. The horns of the Roan Antelope bull seldom measure more than 2 ft. 6 in. in length measured over the curve, though I saw one, shot in the Mashuna country in 1878, whose horns measured 2 ft. 9 in. 7. HlPPOTRAGUS NIGER. (Zuvart Wit Pens of the Dutch ; SaBle Antelope or HarrisBuck of the English ; Potoquane of the Southern Bechuanas ; Qualata inchu of the Bamangwatos and Makalolos; Umtjiele of the Amandebele ; Pala-pala of the Makalakas ; Impengo of the Masubias ; Ookwa of the Makubas ; Solupe of the Masaras.) At the present day a few Sable Antelopes are still to be found in South-western Matabele land, in the neighbourhood of the Ramok-webani, Shashani, and Samookwe rivers (tributaries of the Shashe). Along the waggon-road leading from Tati to the Zambesi it may be met with here and there, but is decidedly scarce. All along the Chobe river, as far as I have been, I have met with this Antelope, though sparingly. In the Mababe country and on the road leading from there to Bamangwato I neither saw a Sable Antelope nor the spoor of one, and do not think its range extends so far to the west. In the broken country to the south of the Victoria Falls, in the neighbourhood of the Pendamatenka and Daka rivers, it is not uncommon ; but its true home is the higher portions of the Mashuna country to the north-east of the Matabele country. There it is the commonest Antelope, and may still be met with in herds of over fifty individuals, the usual number being from ten to twenty. However large the herd, I have never seen more than one full-grown bull with it, though there may be several half-grown ones, whilst in a large herd of any other kind of Antelopes two or more full-grown males are nearly alwaysto be seen. O n the Manica plateau, north of the Zambesi, Sable Antelopes are also to be met with. The longest pair of male Sable Antelope's horns I ever saw measured 45 inches over the curve, the longest pair of female 33 inches. In the Mashuna country and along the Chobe the average length of the horns of these animals is greater than in South-western Matabele land. As a rule the Sable Antelope 1 A few Eoan Antelopes are still to be found in Griqualand West. |