334 ANTELOPES 



afternoon. In Zululand bushbuck and nyala inhabit the same coverts, 

 of which fact I had abundant evidence on the Umkuzi river, where 

 both kinds were common ; and I frequently shot bushbuck and saw 

 nyala in the same patch of bush during the same ramble, and the tracks 

 of both were everywhere. I have even once killed a young nyala ram 

 by mistake for a bushbuck in thick covert, though a full-grown male 

 might be almost more readily mistaken for a young kudu — a species 

 also found in the same locality. There is a great similarity between 

 the markings of the nyala and of the lesser kudu, as well as a much 

 closer approximation in size, though the former is a more compactly 

 built animal, and the latter an inhabitant of a totally different part 

 of East Africa. 



" Nyala differ as to their habits from the smaller bushbuck in that 

 they are gregarious, like kudu. At the present day the herds are small, 

 though the natives assured me that formerly, before the introduction of 

 guns, they were much larger. Sometimes the does with their young 

 and the immature males form herds by themselves ; the adult rams 

 living singly or associating together after the manner of other gregarious 

 antelopes. At other times one big ram accompanies a herd of does. 

 A doe is, I think, only found alone when she has a newly born fawn, 

 during July or August." 



This account, it will be noticed, differs materially from the one by 

 Mr. Selous in regard to the gregarious habits of nyala. On this point 

 Mr. Neumann quoted the following letter from Mr. C. R. Saunders, 

 sometime Resident Commissioner of Zululand : — 



" The largest number of nyala I have seen in one herd is sixteen, 

 of which four were big rams. The herds usually vary from eight to 

 double that number. When they have not been much disturbed you 

 seldom find does alone, although old rams are so found ; but at certain 

 seasons of the year when the males separate from the females the 

 former go in small troops, as many as eight being seen together. . . . 

 Having killed a good many, I consider it the easiest animal in these 

 parts to shoot. On one occasion I stalked within 60 yards of five 

 rams in the open, shot one while I was lying down, and immediately 

 rose to my feet, thinking the others would make off; but they stood 

 watching the one that had fallen. I then shot a second with the left 

 barrel. The remaining three still stood, and I could have shot the lot 

 had I wished, as they only moved off on my walking towards them. 

 I have had very similar experiences with them on other occasions. 

 When brought to bay with dogs they are most awkward antelopes to 

 tackle, being very quick and vicious." 



