African Nature Notes and Reminiscences

Harmony of colour in nature--Theory of protective coloration--Sexual selection--Conspicuous colours not harmful--The influence of environment--The leucoryx--The Barbary sheep--T...

Occasional resemblance of African mammals to natural objects--Hartebeests--Elephants--Giraffes--Coloration of the Somali giraffe--Giraffes not in need of a protective coloration...

The lion--Native names for--Character of--Death of Ponto--Picture in Gordon Cumming's book--Death of Hendrik--Number of natives killed by lions--Usual mode of seizure--A trooper...

Depredations of lions in Mashunaland--Sad death of Mr. Teale--Great slaughter of pigs by a lioness--Mode of entering a cattle kraal--Method of killing prey--Sharpness of lion's...

Method of opening a carcase--Removal of paunch and entrails--Lions skilful butchers--Paunch and entrails not usually eaten--Lions not bone-eaters--Will eat putrid meat--Will som...

Character of hyænas--Contrasted with that of wolves--Story illustrating the strength and audacity of a spotted hyæna--How a goat was seized and carried off--A mean trick--Boldne...

Wild dogs not very numerous--Hunt in packs--Attack herd of buffaloes--First experience with wild dogs--Impala antelope killed--Koodoo cow driven into shed--Koodoo driven to wagg...

Extinction of the blaauwbok and the true quagga--Threatened extermination of the black and white rhinoceros and the buffalo in South Africa--Former abundance of game--Scene in t...

Connection between buffaloes and tse-tse flies--Sir Alfred Sharpe's views--Buffaloes and tse-tse flies both once abundant in the valley of the Limpopo and many other districts s...

Character of the black rhinoceros--Its practical extermination in South Africa at a very trifling cost to human life--No case known to author of a Boer hunter having been killed...

Appearance of the giraffe--Not a vanishing species--Immense range--Habitat--Native mounted hunters--Destruction of giraffes and other game by Europeans--Necessity of restraining...

The inyala, a rare and beautiful animal--Seldom shot by Englishmen--Account of, by Mr. Baldwin--Further observations of, by the Hon. W. H. Drummond--Inyala-shooting and fever al...

Receive information concerning the haunts of the inyala--Heavy thunderstorm--Start for Gugawi's kraal--Cross the Usutu river--Reach Gugawi's--Go out hunting--Crested guinea-fowl...

Number of African antelopes--The eland--Roan and sable antelopes--The greater koodoo--Other antelopes--The gemsbuck--Limited range--Habitat--Keen sight--Speed and endurance--Cha...

Contrast between Rhodesia to-day and long ago--The old days the best--White rhinoceroses and elephants drinking--A night on the Sikumi river--Abundance of big game--A white rhin...

Travelling through the wilderness--Find deep pool of water--Meet with two tsessebe antelopes--Shoot them both--Cover one of them with dry grass to keep off vultures--Ride back t...

Southern Rhodesia--Country farther west still a primeval wilderness--Seldom traversed by white men--Scarcity of water--Remarkable rain-storm--Porcupine flooded out--Every hollow...

Decrease of game in South Africa--Journey from Mashunaland to the East African coast--Find country full of game--Elephants--Great herds of buffaloes--Five old bulls--Bushbucks--...

Travelling through the desert--Large number of bullocks--Long distances between permanent waters--Heavy sand--Start for Mahakabi--Intense heat--Sufferings of the poor oxen--No w...

First Bushmen seen by author in 1872--Armed with bows and arrows--Large areas of country uninhabited except by Bushmen--The Masarwa--Origin of the word "Vaalpens"--Dwarf race me...

Harmony of colour in nature--Theory of protective coloration--Sexual selection--Conspicuous colours not harmful--The influence of environment--The leucoryx--The Barbary sheep--T...

Occasional resemblance of African mammals to natural objects--Hartebeests--Elephants--Giraffes--Coloration of the Somali giraffe--Giraffes not in need of a protective coloration...

The lion--Native names for--Character of--Death of Ponto--Picture in Gordon Cumming's book--Death of Hendrik--Number of natives killed by lions--Usual mode of seizure--A trooper...

Depredations of lions in Mashunaland--Sad death of Mr. Teale--Great slaughter of pigs by a lioness--Mode of entering a cattle kraal--Method of killing prey--Sharpness of lion's...

Method of opening a carcase--Removal of paunch and entrails--Lions skilful butchers--Paunch and entrails not usually eaten--Lions not bone-eaters--Will eat putrid meat--Will som...

Character of hyænas--Contrasted with that of wolves--Story illustrating the strength and audacity of a spotted hyæna--How a goat was seized and carried off--A mean trick--Boldne...

Wild dogs not very numerous--Hunt in packs--Attack herd of buffaloes--First experience with wild dogs--Impala antelope killed--Koodoo cow driven into shed--Koodoo driven to wagg...

Extinction of the blaauwbok and the true quagga--Threatened extermination of the black and white rhinoceros and the buffalo in South Africa--Former abundance of game--Scene in t...

Connection between buffaloes and tse-tse flies--Sir Alfred Sharpe's views--Buffaloes and tse-tse flies both once abundant in the valley of the Limpopo and many other districts s...

Character of the black rhinoceros--Its practical extermination in South Africa at a very trifling cost to human life--No case known to author of a Boer hunter having been killed...

Appearance of the giraffe--Not a vanishing species--Immense range--Habitat--Native mounted hunters--Destruction of giraffes and other game by Europeans--Necessity of restraining...

The inyala, a rare and beautiful animal--Seldom shot by Englishmen--Account of, by Mr. Baldwin--Further observations of, by the Hon. W. H. Drummond--Inyala-shooting and fever al...

Receive information concerning the haunts of the inyala--Heavy thunderstorm--Start for Gugawi's kraal--Cross the Usutu river--Reach Gugawi's--Go out hunting--Crested guinea-fowl...

Number of African antelopes--The eland--Roan and sable antelopes--The greater koodoo--Other antelopes--The gemsbuck--Limited range--Habitat--Keen sight--Speed and endurance--Cha...

Contrast between Rhodesia to-day and long ago--The old days the best--White rhinoceroses and elephants drinking--A night on the Sikumi river--Abundance of big game--A white rhin...

Travelling through the wilderness--Find deep pool of water--Meet with two tsessebe antelopes--Shoot them both--Cover one of them with dry grass to keep off vultures--Ride back t...

Southern Rhodesia--Country farther west still a primeval wilderness--Seldom traversed by white men--Scarcity of water--Remarkable rain-storm--Porcupine flooded out--Every hollow...

Decrease of game in South Africa--Journey from Mashunaland to the East African coast--Find country full of game--Elephants--Great herds of buffaloes--Five old bulls--Bushbucks--...

Travelling through the desert--Large number of bullocks--Long distances between permanent waters--Heavy sand--Start for Mahakabi--Intense heat--Sufferings of the poor oxen--No w...

First Bushmen seen by author in 1872--Armed with bows and arrows--Large areas of country uninhabited except by Bushmen--The Masarwa--Origin of the word "Vaalpens"--Dwarf race me...