where it might be imagined that a locust would not find subsistence, and, burning as is the climate, it is perfectly independent of water, which, from my own observation, and the repeated reports both of the Boers and aborigines, I am convinced it never by any chance tastes. Owing to the even nature of the ground which the oryx frequents, its shy and suspicious disposition, and the extreme distances from water to which it must be followed, it is never stalked or driven to an ambush like other antelopes, but is hunted on horseback and ridden down by a long tail-on-end chace.'-vol. i. p. 97.

But, of the animals so pursued, it is the swiftest and most enduring. The horns are equally developed in both sexes. In one chace a light-weighted Hottentot on a good horse reached the middle of a foaming herd, and dexterously turned out a beautiful cow with a pair of uncommonly fine long horns.' Mr. Cumming headed her.

'I obtained a fine chance, and rolled her over with two bullets in her shoulder. My thirst was intense, and, the gemsbok having a fine breast of milk, I milked her into my mouth, and obtained a drink of the sweetest beverage I ever tasted.'-vol. i. p. 102.

How long the bereaved little one vainly bleated for the lost parent, and, when its thirst grew intense, where it assuaged the torment, troubled not the destroyer, who, nevertheless, had himself drawn nourishment from a mother's breast! But the hunter seems to have stifled every principle, so imbibed, that might suggest reflections on the sufferings caused by his sport; and we may warn the reader at once, that the more he too may be able to repress such reflections, the less will be his pain in perusing many pages of this extraordinary book.

Of the fierce and grotesque antelope which is the type of the subgenus Boselaphus of Blainville, our author fell in with two species, the common wildebeest or black gnu, and the blue wildebeest or brindled gnu; the latter is the Catoblepas gorgon of Col. Hamilton Smith. Of this Mr. Cumming got a magnificent male specimen in an odd manner.

'He was found with one of his fore legs caught over his horn, so that he could not run, and they hamstrung him and cut his throat. He had probably managed to get himself into this awkward attitude while fighting with some of his fellows.'-vol. i. p. 111.

At a subsequent period our author obtained a second specimen of this rare species by the unintentional aid of some wild dogs. He had made a shooting-hole near a spring, frequented by the animals of the neighbourhood, and having passed the night watching for them until dawn, had rolled his blanket tight round him and tried to sleep.

In this manner I had lain for about half an hour, when I was suddenly

denly startled by a large heavy animal galloping past within six feet of me. On cautiously peeping through the stones which surrounded my hole, I had the pleasure to behold a fine bull brindled gnoo dash into the waters of the fountain within forty yards of me, and stand at bay, followed by four tearing, fierce-looking wild-dogs. All the four had their heads and shoulders covered with blood, and looked savage in the extreme. They seemed quite confident of success, and came leisurely up to the bull, passing within a few yards of me, their eyes glistening with ferocious glee. My anxiety to possess this fine old bull, and also a specimen of the wild dog, prevented my waiting to see more of the fun. I deliberated for a few seconds whether I would shoot the bull first or one of the hounds, and ended by shooting the gnoo and the largest hound right and left. The bull, on receiving the ball, bounded out of the fountain; but wheeling about, he re-entered it, and, staggering violently for a moment, subsided in its waters.'

The three remaining hounds reluctantly withdrew.

Having summoned my men, and with considerable difficulty dragged the ponderous carcase of the old bull out of the water, we found that he had been cruelly lacerated by the hounds. It appeared to me that they had endeavoured to hamstring him. His hind legs, haunches, and belly were dreadfully torn; he had lost half his tail, and was otherwise mutilated. Poor old bull! I could not help commiserating his fate. It is melancholy to reflect that, in accordance with the laws of nature, such scenes of pain must ever be occurring; one species, whether inhabiting earth, air, or ocean, being produced to become the prey of another.'

The amiable writer's feeling of compassion, be it remembered, was never indulged at the expense of the gratification of his own instinct, nor ever suffered to contravene what he philosophically assumes to have been the purpose of creation-and the sentimental paragraph above quoted ends as follows:- At night I watched the water, with fairish moonlight, and shot a large spotted hyæna.'-vol. i. p. 170.

In a note to this paragraph he gives some remarks on the habits and instincts of the wild hunting-dog (Canis picta) of South Africa, which, in the still vexed question of the origin of our domestic breeds, will not be without interest to the zoologist. The current idea that the 'bark' is a result of domestication, seems not to be quite correct. These wild dogs, he says,— 'give chace in large organised packs, varying in number from ten to sixty. Their pace is a long never-tiring gallop, and in the chace they relieve one another, the leading hounds falling to the rear when fatigued, when others, who have been husbanding their strength, come up and relieve them. Having succeeded in bringing their quarry to bay, they all surround him, and he is immediately dragged to the ground, and in a few minutes torn to pieces and consumed.'-vol. i. p. 169.

These

These dogs, he adds, have three different kinds of cry; one of which is peculiarly soft and melodious, but distinguishable at a great distance, and serves to rally and bring together members of the pack that have been scattered in following different individuals of a troop of antelopes; a second cry, compared to a number of monkeys chattering together, is emitted at night when they are excited by any particular occurrence; their third note is 'a sharp angry bark,' usually uttered when they suddenly behold an object which they cannot make out. The havoc which these wild dogs commit on the flocks of the Boers is very great: our author considers them as forming a connecting link between the wolf and the hyana;' they do not entertain much fear of man-and they once succeeded in giving the redoubted lion-slayer a fright, which he confesses he shall remember to his dying day. He had been hunting on the plains during many weary hours and had shot but one springbok, when the moon rose.

A little after this I discharged my other barrel at a large spotted hyæna, and then I returned my rifle to its holster without loading either barrel, and presently I was asleep. I had not slept long when my light dreams were influenced by strange sounds. I dreamt that lions were rushing about in quest of me, and, the sounds increasing, I awoke with a sudden start, uttering a loud shriek. I could not for several seconds remember in what part of the world I was, or anything connected with my present position. I heard the rushing of light feet as of a pack of wolves close on every side of me, accompanied by the most unearthly sounds. On raising my head, to my utter horror I saw on every side nothing but savage wild-dogs. On my right and on my left, within a few paces of me, stood two lines of these ferocious-looking animals, cocking their ears and stretching their necks to have a look at me; while two large troops, in which there were at least forty, kept dashing back wards and forwards across my wind within a few yards of me, chattering and growling with the most extraordinary volubility. Another troop were fighting over the wildebeest I had shot. On beholding them I expected no other fate than to be instantly torn to pieces. I felt my blood curdling along my cheeks and my hair bristling on my head. However, I had presence of mind to consider that the human voice and a determined bearing might overawe them, and accordingly, springing to my feet, I stepped on to the little ledge surrounding the hole, where, drawing myself up to my full height, I waved my large blanket with both hands, at the same time addressing my savage assembly in a loud and solemn manner. This had the desired effect: the wild dogs removed to a more respectful distance, barking at me something like collies. Upon this I snatched up my rifle and commenced loading, and before this was accomplished the entire pack had passed away.'-vol. i. p. 190.

In latitude 29° S., on the banks of the Vaal river, the Koodoo (Antilope strepsiceros) was first met with; this species prefers the

craggy

craggy districts to the plains, and was discovered on some hills covered with sharp angular rocks, but with abundance of excellent grass and fine green bushes. Here

'suddenly, on raising our eyes, we saw standing on the hill side, within three hundred yards of us, five buck koodoos, four of which were tearing old fellows carrying extremely fine horns; and majestic as they were, the elevated position which they occupied imparted to them a still more striking appearance. We galloped towards them, on which they bounded higher up the rocky hill, and stood for a few seconds looking at us. I had seen many sights thrilling to a sportsman, but few to surpass what I then beheld. I think an old buck koodoo, when seen standing broadside on, is decidedly one of the grandestlooking antelopes in the world. They now broke into two lots, the two finest bucks holding to the left, and to these we gave chase. They led us over the most terrific ground for horses that can be imagined. It consisted of a mass of large sharp adamantine pieces of rock; even the rock-frequenting koodoos themselves made bad weather of it.'

At last Mr. Cumming, taking a short cut, got within range of a fine specimen, and with a single ball rolled him over in the dust. 'He was a first-rate old buck, and carried a pair of ponderous, long, wide-set spiral horns' (vol. i. p. 154). The speed and endurance of the koodoo is inferior to that of the oryx, and they are easily ridden down on level ground; but in the hilly and rocky places which they frequent, they are more usually obtained by stalking. The skin of the koodoo, though thin, is extremely tough, and is much prized by the colonists for ox-waggon whip-lashes.

A larger and rarer species of antelope is that which our author calls the 'Roan,' or 'bastard gemsbok,' and characterises in the catalogue of his collection as the most daring of the tribe. It is the Antilope equina of Geoffroy. It also was first fallen in with on the banks of the Vaal.

Mr. Cumming next bent his course towards the land of the Blesboks (Antilope albifrons), a large and beautiful violet-coloured species, which is found, together with black wildebeests and springboks, in countless thousands on the vast green plains of short, crisp, sour grass, situated about a hundred and fifty miles to the eastward of the scene of the slaughter of the roan antelope, and occupying a central position in Southern Africa. Cattle and horses refuse to pasture on the grassy products of these plains, which afford sustenance to such myriads of this antelope. Its skin emits a most delicious and powerful perfume of flowers and sweetsmelling herbs. A secretion issues from between its hoofs, which has likewise a pleasing odour. Several murders among this beautiful tribe are detailed with the most impenitent gusto.

The giant amongst the antelopes is that species which the

Dutch

Dutch Boers call Eland,' meaning elk-(the Antilope oreas of Pallas). Mr. Cumming first got sight of it near an old forest, grey with age, beyond the valley of Bahatla, in lat. 24° S. It was a fine male, standing about six feet high at the shoulder:'Observing us, he made off at a gallop, springing over the trunks of decayed trees which lay across his path; but very soon he reduced his pace to a trot. Spurring my horse, another moment saw me riding hard behind him. Twice in the thickets I lost sight of him, and he very nearly escaped me; but at length, the ground improving, I came up with him, and rode within a few yards behind him. Long streaks of foam now streamed from his mouth, and a profuse perspiration had changed his sleek grey coat to an ashy blue. Tears trickled from his large dark eye, and it was plain that the eland's hours were numbered. Pitching my rifle to my shoulder, I let fly at the gallop, and mortally wounded him behind; then spurring my horse, I shot past him on his right side, and discharged my other barrel behind his shoulder, when the eland staggered for a moment and subsided in the dust. This magnificent animal is by far the largest of all the antelope tribe, exceeding a large ox in size. It also attains an extraordinary condition, being often burthened with a very large amount of fat. Its flesh is most excellent, and is justly esteemed above all others. It has a peculiar sweetness, and is tender and fit for use the moment the animal is killed. Like the gemsbok, the eland is independent of water, and frequents the borders of the great Kalahari desert in herds varying from ten to a hundred. The old males may often be found consorting together apart from the females, and a troop of these, when in full condition, may be likened to a herd of stall-fed oxen. The eland has lest speed than any other variety of antelope; and, by judicious riding, they may be driven to camp from a great distance. In this manner I have often ridden the best bull out of the herd, and brought him within gunshot of my waggons, where I could more conveniently cut up and preserve the flesh, without the trouble of sending men and pack-oxen to fetch it. I have repeatedly seen an eland drop down dead at the end of a severe chace, owing to his plethoric habit. The skin of the eland I had just shot emitted, like most other antelopes, the most delicious perfume of trees and grass.'-vol. i. p. 252.

The power of the ruminating animals to endure thirst or abstain from water varies greatly in the different species, and depends upon the organization of the second cavity of their complex stomach, called by anatomists the reticulum,' and by agriculturists the honeycomb-bag. In some the cells are extremely shallow, and form a mere pattern of hexagons by raised lines on the surface; in other species these lines rise into walls, and the cells are deep; in others the deep cells are subdivided into smaller ones; in the camel tribe they are expanded into bags: and in proportion to their capacity for retaining fluid is the ruminant's power

of