THE PRINCE OF ANTELOPES 247 



game, are high ; the body is stoutly formed, and in 

 general contour not unlike that of a Highland stag. 

 The hair is, however, much closer and finer than the 

 red deer's. The tail is about 2 ft. lonof, terminating: 

 in a point. The general port and demeanour of this 

 antelope is exceedingly noble ; and Llie magnificent 

 carriage of the head, surmounted as it is by the great 

 spiral horns, is one of the finest things in nature. 



The female, lacking as she is in horns, cuts a much 

 poorer figure than her lord ; and her ears, unrelieved 

 by tlie fine spiral horns, appear far more prominent 

 and remarkcible. The same may be said of the 

 female water-buck, and of the females of the lechwe, 

 reed-buck, pookoo, situtunga (all, curiously enough, 

 water-bucks), as well as of the pallah. The calves 

 are beautiful little creatures, of a bright rufous 

 colour, strongly lined with white. The cows have 

 only one calf at a time, usually between September 

 and November — the favourite calving period with 

 most South African antelopes. 



The koodoo feeds more upon the young leafage 

 and sprouting greenery of bushes, shrubs, and trees 

 than upon grass. Its favourite browsing ground is 

 bush and woodland, the stoay slopes of hills, and 

 well-bushed mountain sides. In these haunts this 

 antelope is difficult of approach, and offers very 

 excellent stalking. In countries not much shot 

 over, however, the koodoo may be occasionally 



