| OCR Text |
Show 320 CAPT. H. G. c. S W A Y N E ON THE [Apr. 3, where it overlaps with the range of the Gol-ass. The female Gussuli appear to be much larger than the male; and it is a pretty safe rule, when looking for a buck, to fire at the smaller one. The Gussuli have long snouts, in shape quite different from that of the Gol-ass, being much longer and tapering to a point. They are also somewhat larger than the Gol-ass, and are recognizable in the bush by their grey colour. They start up in pairs or in threes. Sometimes the bush is alive with them, and I have seen more than a dozen run off together; but they do so only when alarmed, and are not naturally gregarious. THE BEIRA ANTELOPE (see P. Z. S. 1892, p. 308). " I first heard of the ' Beira' near Ali-Maan, in the Gadabursi country, among very rugged hills, in the autumn of 1891. Then my brother (Capt. E. Swrayne, Bengal Staff Corps) saw two for the first time, but failed to get a shot. " H e described them as reddish Antelopes, rather larger than the Klipspringer, with small straight horns, bounding away among the rocks exactly as a Klipspringer does. " On my last trip the Somalis assured me that I should find ' Beira' on the Wagar Mountain and on Negegr, which is its eastern continuation, is about 40 miles S.S.E. of Berbera, and rises to nearly 7000 feet. They said it was nearly as large as an ordinary flabby-nosed Gazelle, but reddish-that it inhabited ground similar to the Klipspringer, but was shy and difficult to shoot. This no doubt accounts for no European having shot one, though my brother heard of them so far back as 1891. " I tried vainly to get ' Beira,' haviog no time to go again to Wagar myself. On leaving the coast last November, I sent men in to look for 'Beira,' offering a reward of 20 rs. for a good head and skin of a male and female, and gave full instructions to my agents in Berbera and Aden to pay the reward and to send me the specimens. I received the two skins and pair of horns direct from Aden, without explanation, but have no doubt whatever they are the specimens of ' Beira' which I sought. They have evidently been killed by natives, and that accounts for the imperfect condition of the specimens. To my brother is due the credit of the discovery." * GREVY'S ZEBRA (Equus grevyi). Somali name " Fer'o." Grevy's Zebra was, I think, first shot in Somaliland by Colonel Paget and myself on our simultaneous expeditions last spring. I found them first at Durhi, in Central Ogaden, between the Tug Fafan and the Webbe, about 300 miles inland from Berbera. I shot seven specimens, all of which were eaten by myself and my 1 [Since this paper was read the " Beira" has been described by Herr Menges (Zool. Ariz. xvii. (1894) p. 130) as a new species, and called Oreotragm megalotis.-P. L. S.] |
