640 THE SPRING-BOK. 
T stood upon the fore-chest of my wagon for nearly two hours, lost in wonder at the 
novel and beautiful scene which was passing before me, and had some difficulty in 
convincing myself that it was reality which I beheld, and not the wild and exaggerated 
picture of a hunter’s dream. During this time, their vast legions continued streaming 
through the neck in the hills, in one unbroken compact phalanx.” 
The wonderful density of these moving herds may be imagined from the fact, that a 
flock of sheep have been inextricably entangled among a herd of migrating Spring-boks, 
and carried along with them without the possibility of resistance or even of escape. Even 
the lion himself has been thus taken prisoner in the midst of a mass of these animals, 
and has been forced to move in their midst as if he belonged to their own order. Want 
of water is said to be the principal cause of these migrations, for they have been always 
observed to depart as soon as the district in which they live has been deprived of water, 
and to return as soon as the genial rains have returned moisture to the earth, and 
caused the green herbage to make its appearance. Dr. Livingstone, however, doubts 
whether the Spring-bok is a sufficiently thirsty animal to be driven into these migrations 
only by want of water, and thinks that there must be other causes. 
They are extremely fond of the short tender grass as it springs from the earth, and the 
Bakalahari Kaffirs, taking advantage of this pre dileetion: are in the habit of burning large 
patches of dry stubbly herbage for the sake of attracting the Spring-boks, who are sure 
to find out the locality, and to come and feed upon the short sweet grass that always 
mikes its appearance on the site of burnt vegetation, Spring-boks are very seldom seen 
in the deep, rank grass, that is so plentiful in their native country, for they would not be 
able to raise their head above the tall blades, and to perceive the lion, leopard, or other 
enemy that might be crawling towards them under its shelter. 
While engaged in these pilgrimages, the Spring-bok suffers sadly from many foes, man 
included, who thin their numbers along the whole of their march. Various beasts of 
prey, such as ons, leopards, hyzenas, and jackals, hang around the skirts of the herd, and 
are always ready either to dash boldly among the moving mass, and to drag out some 
unfortunate animal which may happen to take their f fancy ; or to prowl in a crafty 
manner about the rear of the troop, in hopes of snapping up the weakly or wounded 
animals as they fall out of the ranks. The black and white inhabitants of Southern Africa 
also take advantage of the pilerimages, and with guns and spears, which may be used 
almost indiscriminately among such multitudes of animals, without any particular necessity 
for a careful aim, destroy myriads of the Spring-boks, and load themselves with an ample 
supply of hides and meat. 
There is a curious provision of nature for preserving the herds in proper condition. 
Tt is evident that as the animals move in a compact mass, the leaders will eat all the 
pasture, and those in the rear will find nothing but the bare ground, cut to pieces by the 
hoofs of their predecessors. The rearward animals would therefore soon perish by 
starvation, did not matters arrange themselves in a rather remarkable manner. The 
leading Spring-boks, having the choice of the best pasture, soon become so satiated and 
overloaded with food, that they are unable to keep pace with their eager and hungrily 
active followers, and so are forced to drop into the rear. The hindermost animals in the 
meantime are anxiously pushing forward in search of food, so that there is a continual 
interchange going on as the herd moves onwards, those in front dropping back to the rear, 
while those in the rear are constantly pressing forwards to take their place in front. 
In size the Spring-bok is rather superior to the Doreas gazelle, but may be immediately 
distinguished from that animal by means of the curious white patch of long hairs on the 
croup, which has already been described. Although the animal is so marvellously agile, 
the body is rather clumsily formed, and seems ‘to be dispro oportionately large when 
contrasted with the slight and delicate limbs on which it is supported. While ‘standing 
at rest, the Spring-bok may be recognised by the peculiar line of the back, which is more 
elevated at the croup than at the shoulders, The horns of this animal are much larger in 
the adult male than in the young or the female, and when full-grown are marked with 
eighteen or twenty narrow complete rings. The lyrate form of the horns is not so 
perceptible in the young Spring-bok as in the older animal, for until the creature has 
ee” 
