“The Gemsbok was destined by nature to adorn the parched karroos and arid deserts of South Africa, for which description of country it is admirably adapted. It thrives and attains high condition in barren regions, where it might be imagined that a locust would not find subsistence, and, burning as is its 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. Its flesh is deservedly esteemed, and ranks next to the Eland. At certain seasons of the year they carry a great quantity of fat, at which time they can be more easily ridden into. 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, severe, tail-on- end chase. Of several animals in South Africa which are hunted in this manner, and may be ridden into by a horse, the Oryx is by far the swiftest and most enduring.” In his ‘Hunter’s Wanderings’ Mr. Selous gives us an excellent account of the range of the Gemsbok about twenty years ago. He says (p. 212):— “The Gemsbuck is almost entirely confined to the arid deserts of South-western Africa. In the Kalahari desert, to the west of Griqualand West, it is fairly plentiful, and on the road leading along the eastern border of the desert from Kuruman to Bamangwato it is occasionally to be met with, becoming plentiful if one penetrates into the waterless country to the westward, but being unknown to the eastward, of the road. Along the waggon-road leading from Bamangwato to Tati there are a few Gemsbuck above Pelatsi, Serule, and Goqui, and they are sometimes to be met with on the upper course of the Macloutsi, Shashi, and Tati rivers. A few sometimes even wander as far eastwards as the Ramokwebani river. On the road leading from Tati to the Zambesi Gemsbuck are not often met with, but a few are occasionally to be seen in the neighbourhood of Thammasanka and Thammasetsi. A little farther westwards, however, in the neighbourhood of the great saltpans, they are numerous, as they are also in all the country between the saltpans and the Botletlie river, whilst to the west of that river, right through the desert into Damaraland, they are said to run in large herds. Where I have met with them, the country has either been open or covered with stunted bush, and along the waggon-road from Bamangwato to the Mābābe their northern range seems to be limited by the heavily-timbered sand-belts, which run east and west immediately to the south of that river, and into which the Gemsbuck does not penetrate. North of the Mābābe, in the direction of the Chobe, although many parts of the country appear