. The game animals of Africa . lle, which is found in parts thicklycovered with trees and bushes, or on plainsentirely destitute of timber ; but if any preference is given, I think it is to the plains, for the herds congregatedin such localities are much larger than elsewhere, sometimes containingmany hundred individuals. The species cannot, however, be deemeda denizen of the plains in the same sense as oryx and hartebeest, withwhich the aoul is accustomed to associate on most friendly terms. Sommerrings gazelle is not a graceful animal, having a shortneck, rather clumsy head, and a heavy body
. The game animals of Africa . lle, which is found in parts thicklycovered with trees and bushes, or on plainsentirely destitute of timber ; but if any preference is given, I think it is to the plains, for the herds congregatedin such localities are much larger than elsewhere, sometimes containingmany hundred individuals. The species cannot, however, be deemeda denizen of the plains in the same sense as oryx and hartebeest, withwhich the aoul is accustomed to associate on most friendly terms. Sommerrings gazelle is not a graceful animal, having a shortneck, rather clumsy head, and a heavy body ; its general appearancebeing very different from that generally associated with the light-footedgazelle. Of its speed there can, however, be no question, as it is veryfleet, and when running has the habit of jumping to a considerableheight and for long distances, not unlike the springbuck. Naturallythis is not a very wild species, nor particularly suspicious, although indistricts where it is much hunted it becomes very Fig. 55.—Skull and Horns of Som-merrings Gazelle, from a speci-men shot liy Col. V. M. Stockley. 268 ANTELOPES Apparently, like many animals in Somaliland, this gazelle isindependent of water, for in that thirsty land little of the fluid isobtainable, and the aoul is frequently met with many miles from anyplace where an opportunity for allaying thirst is offered. The entirecountry is so dry that all wild animals inhabiting it must have greatdifficulty in procuring water ; and, with the exception of pools in thebrief rainy season, a supply can only be obtained by digging in thedry beds of the rivers, a proceeding entirely beyond the power of aruminant. As a rule, the aoul is easy to approach within shootingdistance, that is, between one and two hundred yards, though some-times it may be necessary to shoot farther than this. When theanimal is among bushes, it is comparatively easy to get quite near, ifthe stalk is made with knowledge and judgment. Aoul c
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