NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



Sometimes these ponds are quite close to some 

 Springhare burrows, and the natives instantly avail 

 themselves of the opportunity of utilising the 

 v^ater for compelHng the animals to vacate their 

 burrows. 



The European colonist usually encompasses the 

 destruction of the Springhares by shooting them on 

 moonlight nights. Another plan is to take an acety- 

 lene lamp, such as those used on bicycles. One 

 man carries the lamp, and at intervals flashes it 

 round in a semicircle as he walks. A friend carries 

 a shot-gun, and holds himself in readiness to shoot. 

 If the brilHant hght from the lamp should fall upon 

 a Springhare, its eyes are temporarily blinded with 

 the glare, which prevents it seeing the hunters who 

 are behind the light. It sits up and stares at the 

 light, but the hesitation is usually only momentary, 

 and in that interval the man with the gun must 

 shoot or the Springhare will have vanished into the 

 darkness. 



During the game season, which is the winter time 

 in South Africa, large numbers of these Springhares 

 are shot and sent to the various markets. At the 

 Port Elizabeth Produce Market it is a common sight 

 to see a score or more at a time. The flesh is of the 

 same quality as ordinary venison, but with the excep- 

 tion of the enormously developed thighs, there is 

 but little flesh on the body. 



The stomach of a Springhare is capacious, and 

 in consequence in a single night the creature can 



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