The most wary animal in a herd is generally the “leader”.  When it is shot the others often seem at a loss what to do, and stop in a state of bewilderment.  I have seen them attempt to follow each other and appear quite confused, no one knowing for half a minute or more where to direct the flight.  On one occasion I happened to shoot the leader, a young zebra mare, which at some former time had been bitten on the hind leg by a carnivorous animal, and, thereby made unusually wary, had, in consequence, become a leader.  If they see either one of their own herd or any other animal taking to flight, wild animals invariably flee.  The most timid thus naturally leads the rest.  It is not any other peculiarity, but simply this provision, which is given them for the preservation of the race.  The great increase of wariness which is seen to occur when the females bring forth their young, causes all the leaders to be at that time females; and there is a probability that the separation of sexes into distinct herds, which is annually observed in many antelopes, arises from the simple fact that the greater caution of the she antelopes is partaken of only by the young males, and their more frequent flights now have the effect of leaving the old males behind.  I am inclined to believe this, because, though the antelopes, as the pallahs, etc., are frequently in separate herds, they are never seen in the act of expelling the males.  There may be some other reason in the case of the elephants; but the male and female elephants are never seen in one herd.  The young males remain with their dams only until they are full grown; and so constantly is the separation maintained, that any one familiar with them, on seeing a picture with the sexes mixed, would immediately conclude that the artist had made it from his imagination, and not from sight.

December 2, 1855.  We remained near a small hill, called Maundo, where we began to be frequently invited by the honey-guide (’Cuculus indicator’).  Wishing to ascertain the truth of the native assertion that this bird is a deceiver, and by its call sometimes leads to a wild beast and not to honey, I inquired if any of my men had ever been led by this friendly little bird to any thing else than what its name implies.  Only one of the 114 could say he had been led to an elephant instead of a hive, like myself with the black rhinoceros mentioned before.  I am quite convinced that the majority of people who commit themselves to its guidance are led to honey, and to it alone.

On the 3d we crossed the River Mozuma, or River of Dila, having traveled through a beautifully undulating pastoral country.  To the south, and a little east of this, stands the hill Taba Cheu, or “White Mountain”, from a mass of white rock, probably dolomite, on its top.  But none of the hills are of any great altitude.  When I heard this mountain described at Linyanti I thought the glistening substance might be snow, and my informants were so loud in their