IMPALA ANTELOPE 193 



Height at shoulder about 2^ feet. Although localized to a 

 great extent, this animal is found on nearly all the moun- 

 tain ranges of South Africa south of the Zambesi River. 

 We found it not uncommon at several points of the 

 Drakensberg Range. It inhabits mountains and hills, 

 where it is generally found near the top, in parties of six to 

 a dozen individuals. Its agility amongst the rocks is well 

 known, and, although its gallop is rather stilted and of 

 the rocking-horse type, it can cover the ground rapidly 

 enough in its mountain home, where it bounds upwards 

 with ease and grace. Its flesh is not of high quality. One 

 or two young ones are produced at a birth. A female in 

 the Zoo gave birth to a single young one. The National 

 Zoological Gardens have obtained on several occasions 

 examples from Basutoland, through the kind agency of 

 Mr. J. P. Murray, Sub-Commissioner of Mafeteng. 



Genus JEPYCEROS. 



Tail long and slender. Xo false hoofs. Tufts of hair 

 on the lower portion of the hind legs. Female hornless. 



^pyceros melampus. Impala Antelope. Booibok. 

 Pala (Basuto and Bechuana) ; Impala (Swazi and Zulu). 



This graceful Antelope is called the Rooibok by the 

 Boers, on account of its general reddish-chestnut or bay 

 colour ; below it is white, as is also the chin and throat. 

 There is a dark brown stripe on the buttocks on either 

 side of the tail, and another down the latter portion of the 

 back, nearly to the tip of the tail; this rather curious 

 marking looks like the broad arrow on the dress of con- 

 victs when viewed from behind. There are black tufts 

 on the hind fetlocks, whence its German name of 

 *'schwarzfersen antilope," and its Latin name of melampus 

 (black-footed) 

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