MOUNTAIN REEDBUCK 



229 



to a dozen in number, solitary old rams being often met with. They 

 drink regularly once a day and are entirely grass-feeders ; but their 

 flesh, though more palatable than that of the rhebuck, is decidedly 

 inferior to that of the typical reedbuck. When running, they much 

 resemble the latter ; the spread tail and peculiar rocking-horse action 

 when they are not laying themselves out to run hard being 

 characteristic of both. 



" Mountain-reedbuck shooting is really fine sport, which can usually 

 be obtained in the 

 course of a day's 

 mixed shooting on 

 the hills when the 

 sportsman is also 

 prepared for vaal 

 rhebuck, oribi, and 

 klipspringer. It is, 

 however, more satis- 

 factory to deal with 

 the different species 

 separately ; and, in 

 order to obtain the 

 greatest success, early 

 rising and some know- 

 ledge of their habits 

 are indispensable. 



" Mountain-reed- 

 buck invariably run 

 either round or ob- 

 liquely down a hill, 

 seldom climbing as 

 the rhebuck does. 

 When lying down, if 

 they think themselves unseen, they will often permit a very near 

 approach. An instance of this occurred when I was shooting on the 

 Drakensberg. Returning on foot to camp in the evening, I saw a 

 fine ram crouch down behind a bush. In order to obtain a shot when 

 he jumped up, I had to manoeuvre to the left for about 50 yards over 

 ground which was quite open save for a {^.w scattered ' sugar-bushes ' ; 

 but I gained my point about 140 yards from the ram, which lay in a 

 little hollow, squeezing himself into a very small compass. I was in 

 the act of raising my glasses when my eyes fell on a ewe lying flat on 



Fig. 45. — Head of Mountain Reedbuck. 



