A study was conducted of grass selectivity shown by four herbivores on open range lands of Kenya Masailand. At four seasons over one year, wildebeest, zebra and kongoni (Coke's hartebeest) were taken. Stomach materials and faeces were sampled from each animal. Faecal samples were collected from cattle that had been grazing in the same area. Simultaneously, vegetation availability assessments were made.A comparison of techniques for determining the food selectivity indicates that faecal and stomach-content analyses provide similar results when the diets are almost entirely grass.The selectivity exhibited by the four herbivores was determined by faecal analyses. Three grass species were preponderant in all diets as well as in the available menu. In comparing the selectivity shown for the three dominant grasses there is a high degree of similarity even though statistical differences are demonstrated. All animals favoured Themeda triandru over PenniJetum mezianum and Digitaria macroblephara. Kongoni displayed the highest degree of selectivity and cattle and zebra had the greatest similarity in diets. Each animal species had a wide spectrum of grasses in their diets: these contained a greater number of species during the drier seasons than during the rainy seasons.

SummaryMany investigations have made contributions to an understanding of energy flow through large mammals in East African ecosystems. This paper lists references to such works and compiles them according to their application to various segments as they appear in an energy‐flow model. The first part indicates papers on pasture utilization, value of foodstuffs, animal numbers and distribution, population dynamics and secondary production. The second part assembles references dealing with individual animal species, stratifying them according to the subjects of ecology, food habits and nutrient utilization, population dynamics and growth.

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