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Show 302 CAPT. H. G. C. SWAYNE ON THE [May 3, Kudus are found in mountainous or very broken ground where there is plenty of bush and good grass and water. Sometimes a solitary old bull Kudu will make his mid-day lair close to water, in some quiet part of the hills. They are very retiring, and live in small families, two bulls and seven cows being the largest number I have noticed together. They prefer the steepest mountains, but wander about at night in search of grass in broken ground in the neighbouring plains. A n old male with a heavy pair of horns avoids thick jungle, where they may catch in the branches, and likes to spend the heat of the day under the shadow of some great rock on the mountain-side, where he can get a good view around. His eyes, nose, and ears appear to be equally on the alert, and he is often very cunning. Although such a heavy animal he is a good climber. He is hard to stalk, but, once successfully approached, the steep nature of the ground generally yields him up an easy victim to the rifle. The alarm-note of the female Kudu is a loud startling bark, which echoes far into the hills around, and is similar to that of the Indian Sambar hind. The bark is accompanied by an impatient pawing of the ground with, the hoofs. The habits of the Greater and Lesser Kudu of Somaliland exactly correspond respectively to those of the Indian Sambar and Spotted Deer. Great Kudus live in the mountains; Lesser Kudus live on the bush-covered slopes at their base. Kudus are generally timid, but care must be taken when coming suddenly on them, as I once saw an unwounded bull Kudu make a very determined charge from some thirty yards' distance at a solitary man, who had been sent to stop the mouth of a gorge. The man jumped to one side and threw his spear, grazing the beast's flank. The Kudu galloped out into the plain and escaped. I had a good view of this, and there could be no doubt as to the intention of the beast. The Kudu is the largest of all the Somali Antelopes, a large bull standing about 13 hands 1 inch. A good pair of horns in Somaliland will measure nearly 3 feet from base to tip, and 48 inches round the spiral of each horn. The largest Somali Kudu head I have ever seen measured 56 inches round the spiral. The Kudu is rare except in the highest mountains. It is found on the highest ground of Northern Somaliland, inhabiting the top of Wagar Mountain and Golis Range, which rise respectively to six thousand eight hundred and six thousand feet. Kudus have lately become very shy and scarce in these mountains. A Kudu head is a great prize, and a good pair of horns should be ample reward for a fortnight's climbing in the hills. Kudus, although active climbers, are not fast on level ground. 3. THE LESSER KUDU (Strepsiceros imberbis). Godir or Arreh-Gddir (male) ; Ader-yu (female) ; Ader-yu (collective). |