1 82 ANTELOPES 



" The steinbok is distributed widely over South Africa, from the 

 Cape to the Zambesi, although in the south-eastern portions of Cape 

 Colony its place is taken by the grysbok. It is not found, however, in 

 mountainous districts or in dense forest-belts, being partial to open flats, 

 rolling grassy downs, and thin forest. In Portuguese East Africa I 

 found these antelopes fairly numerous along the Pungwi river, and on 

 the flats below Gorongoza, west of the Urema river ; but, singularly 

 enough, on the vast Urema plains, to the east of that river and north 

 of the Mwaredsi, I did not meet with a single specimen. Neither did 

 I see any in the Mozambique province. Like grysbok, steinbok appear 

 to be independent of water, but if it is anywhere near they will drink. 

 Seeing that they are grass-feeders, it is somewhat difficult to know how 

 they subsist without it ; if leaves formed portion of their diet they 

 might supply the want by eating those of a watery, succulent nature. 

 Steinbok lie very closely in covert, or even in the open, usually 

 stretching their necks out in front of them on the ground ; but they 

 spring to their feet with wonderful rapidity when they decide upon 

 flight. They often scratch up the ground with their hoofs, particularly 

 near the spots where they deposit their droppings ; but as this is also 

 done in other places, it is possible they may occasionally eat small 

 succulent roots and bulbs. I cannot recollect seeing a very young 

 fawn, but since the spring is the rutting-season, there is no doubt that 

 the young are born about Christmas. 



" In parts of Bechuanaland and Cape Colony steinbok are regularly 

 hunted with foxhounds, or coursed with greyhounds ; and as they have 

 plenty of pace and staying power, they give good sport. In the low 

 country, early morning is the best time for shooting them. When 

 alarmed on their feeding-grounds, they seldom run far before standing, 

 but if they show no inclination to do so, a sharp whistle will often bring 

 them up standing." 



{Rhaphiceros Jiorstocki) 



Some years ago Dr. F. A. Jentink gave this name to a grysbok 

 skin in the Leyden Museum which appears to be in such bad condition 

 that its true characters cannot properly be determined. The name 

 is, however, accepted as valid by the Hon. Walter Rothschild, who 

 on p. 237 of the Zoological Society's Proceedings for 1908 refers a 

 specimen from the neighbourhood of Drakensberg, Natal, to a local 

 race of that nominal species, under the title of Rhaphiceros Jiorstocki 

 natalensis. The description is as follows : — 



