effect of this metal is far greater than a mixture of tin,
as the specific gravity of the bullet is increased.
Throughout a long experience in wild sports, although
I admire the velocity of conical projectiles, I always
have retained my opinion that, in jungle countries,
where in the absence of dogs you require either to
disable your game on the spot, or to produce a distinct
blood-track that is easily followed, the old-fashioned
two-groove belted ball will hag more game than
modern bullets ; but on the other hand, the facility of
loading a conical bullet already formed into a cartridge
is a great advantage. The shock produced by
a pointed projectile is nothing compared to that of the
old belted hall, unless it is on the principle of Pur day’s
high velocity expanding bullet, which, although perfection
for deer-shooting, would be useless against
thick-skinned animals, such as buffalo and rhinoceros.'
In Africa, the variety of game is such, that it is impossible
to tell, when loading, at what animal the bullet
will be fired, therefore it is necessary to be armed with
a rifle suitable for all comers. My little - Fletcher was
the Enfield bore, No. 24, and, although a most trusty
weapon, the bullets generally failed to penetrate the
skull of hippopotami, except in places where the bone
was thin, such as behind the ear, and beneath the eyes.
Although I killed great numbers of animals with the
Enfield bullet, the success was due to tolerably correct
shooting, as I generally lost the larger antelopes if
wounded by that projectile in any place but the neck,
head, or shoulder; the wound did not bleed freely,
therefore it was next to impossible to follow up the
blood-track; thus a large proportion of wounded
animals escaped.
I saw, and shot, thirteen varieties of antelopes while
in Africa. Upon arrival at Khartoum, I met Herr von
Heuglin, who commanded the expedition in search of
Dr. Vogel; he was an industrious naturalist, who had
been many years in the Soudan and in Abyssinia.
We compared notes of all we had seen and done, and
he very kindly supplied me with a list of all the antelopes
that he had been able to trace as existing in
Abyssinia and the Soudan; he now included my
maarif, which he had never met with, and which he
agreed was a new species. In the following list, which
is an exact copy of that which he had arranged, those
marked with an asterisk are species that I have
myself shot':—•
Catalogue des ¿spkes du genre “ A n t ilo pe ,” observees en Egypte,
dans la Nubie, au Soudan orientale et en Abissinie.
A.—Gazella, Blains.
1.—Spec. G. Boreas.* Arab. Gbasal.
2.—G. ardbica* Ehr. A le c6te de la Mer rouge.
3.—G. Lcevipes, Sund. Arab. Abou Horabct 1 (Nubie, Taka
Sennaar, Kordofan).
4.—G. spec. (? 1) en Tigrih Choquen (Bogos).
5.—G. Bama* Licbt. Arab. Adra, Ledra (Kiel, Bajouda, Berber,
Sennaar, Kordofan).
6.—G. Soemmeringii, Rupp. Arab. Om Oreba. Tigreb, Arab
(Taka, Massowa, Gedaref, Berber, Sennaar).