The book of antelopes, vol. 1 (of 4)Sclater, Philip Lutley
Science
The book of antelopes, vol. 1 (of 4)
Sclater, Philip Lutley
Antelopes
North of Nyasaland the Duiker appears to extend across German East
Africa into British East Africa, where it is well known to the
sportsmen of the Kilimanjaro district. Mr. F. J. Jackson, in ‘Big Game
Shooting,’ tells us that it is found throughout British East Africa,
and extends as far west as Kavirondo. Herr Oscar Neumann informs us
that he has obtained it in Uganda. At Taveta it frequents the low stony
hills covered with long grass and short scrub. On the coast it is
found in open bush country and also in low scrub and grass. A skin in
the British Museum is stated to have been obtained as high up as 10,000
feet on Kilimanjaro. Until recently we have believed the northern range
of the Duiker not to extend beyond British East Africa; but quite
lately Mr. F. Gillett, who accompanied Dr. Donaldson Smith during the
first part of his adventurous expedition through Somali-land towards
Lake Rudolph, has met with the Duiker on the confines of Galla-land.
Mr. Gillett has favoured us with the following notes on this species:--
“I killed three specimens of this Antelope on November 1st and 2nd,
1894; they consisted of a full-grown male and female and a young
female. I only came across this species in a small area of country
about 20 miles long by 10 wide, at an elevation of about 7000 feet.
I found them living singly. The country consisted of long grass
with clumps of bushes with plenty of water. It was not timid of
man’s presence, because my men saw it quite close to the Abyssinian
encampment, where during the day there were always crowds of people
moving about; besides which the country must have been densely
populated not many years ago, signs of extensive cultivation being
visible. But it hides away in the bushes, and when disturbed does
not usually wait to make your acquaintance. The Galla name for it
is ‘_Kompee_.’ The horns of the male lay back on the skull and
measured 4 in. in length by 2⅛ in circumference. The tips of the feet
were black for about 2 inches. The old female had a fœtus in her. The
young female measured 26 in. from anus to tip of nose and 17 in. the
height at shoulder. A great number of them were seen in this place by
Dr. Smith and Mr. Dodson, though the three I shot were the only ones I
came across. One of my camelmen recognized it at once, saying he had
often seen it in the Barterri country west of the Gadabursi country,
where it is numerous and called Kodobo. It has not been killed there,
to his knowledge, by any European. Harar, he said, was three days from
the Barterri country; but he has never heard of it there or anywhere
but in his own country, which he says is exactly similar to where I
found these. I killed them at a place called Sheik Mahomet in the Galla
country: long. about 40° 28′ 0″, lat. about 7° 15′ 0″.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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