The Central Nevadan. [volume] (Battle Mountain, Nev.) 1885-1907, 1901-05-02
To lie Protec cite by
Powers of
Europe.

utter a sound under any circumstances.
even when wounded. AS a runner it Is
famous, and only a good horse can
overtake 1t.
The Eiand Nearly Extinct
The Gland Is threatened with ex-
tinction largely because of its great
size. 1t is the biggest Of all the ante
lopes, being almost as large as a cow.
and is slow and clumsy compared with
most of its congeners. It's flesh being
very good to eat, 1t has been much
hunted ON that account. Already II is
exterminated in Cape Colony, Natal, the
Grange Free State and the Transvaal.
In the Kalahari desert there are still
c~asionally herds of them wander out
OF this dcsolate retreat in search of a
certain Kind Of hr9h, the leaves OF
which they are very fond of. In the
desert a small wild melon containing
a considerable quantity Of water
grows pientifully, and it is supposed
that this serves to assuage the thirst
OF the Glands and giraffes in the hot
and dry season.
The brindled gnu is another large
antelope, and is one of the most re-
markab,e and interesting quadrupeds
Of South Africa. From the front 1t
looks somewhat like a small OK, and
from the rear like a horse. The Hot
tentots call 1t Baas, meaning master,
on account Of It's bold and fierce bear
ing. 1t has a neal relative called the
white-tailed gnu, and both species for
merly inhabited in enormous multi
lures the grassy plains north OF the
Vaal river. After the summer rains
each year they advanced in large herds
as far as the southern branches of the
Orange river, and on reaching that
stream the white-tailed gnus would
cross over into Cape Colony, to be
slaughtered in great numbers by hunt
ers. For some reason unknown the
brindled n never passed the river.
The brindled gnu is now extremely
scarce in the T%ransvaal and practical
ly extinct in the Orange Free State. 1t
is still met with in Bechuanaland,
along the edge of the Kalahari desert.
and in some other localities. Owing
to the open character of the country
in which it lives, 1t is n OF the most
difficult beasts to stalk. 1t has suf-
fered greatly from the cattle disease
which, while causing such loss of do
INVESTIGATED beasts. mas wiped cut i'm
mense numbers of game animals OF
many kinds in South Africa. includ-
ing CRATES and Glands.
The African elephant, though not
yet on the verge Of extinction, can no
long escape determination unless pro-
tected in some way. Within the past
few years the demand for ivory has
greatly Increased. and it is reekoned
that each twelvemonth loo 1900 of the
giant pachyderms are slain to supply
the market with this commodity. This
African elephant grows a foot higher
than the Asiatie pachyderm. At birth
1t weighs 225 pounds and its aver
age length of life is so years. A pair
OF tusks from a full-grown beast will
weigh 225 pounds.
Elephant Must BE Protected.
There were formerly in South Africa
three very interesting animals related
to the herse-the quagga, the noun
tain zebra, and B~urchell's zebra. Only
so years ago the quagga roamed in i'm
mense herds in the lowlands CT Cape
Colony. 1t was easily tanned and might
have furnished a domestic quadruped
most useful to man: but It was ruth
lessly shot down and exterminated for
the sake of It's hide. and now 1t is be-
lieved that o a single specimen sur
wives in the world. The mountain re-
bra, formerly SO abundant in the
mountainous parts of Cape Colony that
it was called the common ZEBRA" is
now very rare. The few survivors,
protected by Law from hunters. seek
the widest and most sequestered
spots. and, being feet of foot, are very
difficult to approach. Burchell's zebra
has been to some extent domestieated,