THE ANTELOPES 



projecting piece of rock, and to climb in a series of little jumps up the faces of cliffs which 

 seem almost perpendicular. 



In height the klipspringer stands about i foot 9 inches at the shoulder. The males alone 

 carry horns, which are straight and ringed at the base, and vary from 3 to 5 inches in 

 length. The coat is of a greeny yellow-brown colour, with the hairs hollow and brittle. These 

 little animals are usually met with singly, or in twos and threes together. When caught 

 young, they become wonderfully tame, and make the most charming pets, being very playful 

 and fond of jumping, with surprising ease and grace, from the floor of a room on to any 

 elevated position, such as a table, mantelpiece, or window-sill. 



THE WATERBUCKS 



The largest animals in the first of three groups now to be considered are the WATERBUCKS, 

 antelopes of stout and sturdy build, standing from 45 to 50 inches at the shoulder, and covered 

 with long, coarse hair, especially on the neck, in both sexes. The males alone carry horns, 

 which vary from 20 to 36 inches in length, and are strongly ringed in front for three-fourths 

 of their length. They are sublyrate in shape, being first inclined backwards and then forwards 

 at the tips. There are three well-marked species of waterbuck viz. the COMMON WATERBUCK 

 of South Africa, whose range 

 extends from the Limpopo 

 northwards, through Nyasa- 

 land to German and British 

 East Africa, and to the 

 Shebeyli River, in Somali- 

 land; the SlNG-SING of Sene- 

 gal and Gambia; and the 

 DEFASSA WATERBUCK of 

 Western Abyssinia and the 

 Nile Valley, south to Uganda 

 and British and German East 

 Africa. In habits all species 

 of waterbuck are very similar. 

 They live generally, though 

 not invariably, in herds of 

 from ten to twenty individ- 

 uals, and in such small herds . , . 

 there is seldom more than one full-grown male present. In the mtenor of South Africa tt 

 waterbuck is often met with amongst steep stony hills and at a distance of more than 



' z : 



Photo by 



G. Paym, Aylubury, by ftrmiitun tf tht Hen. Waltir Ruhichild 



MALE SAIGA ANTELOPES 

 These antelope* inhabit the East Russian steppes. The thick -woolly coat turns nearly wUu in 



in good condition the fat is very hard. wa terbucks, but are of 



The REEDBUCKS are similar in essential beneath 



smaller size, and have more bushy tails, and naked spots on the 



the ears. AfnVa U the best known. This animal 



Of this group the COMMON REEDBUCK > ^ ^ fluffy ^ which 



stands 3 feet at the withers, and is of a soft greyis ' under-surface The males alone 



is always thrown up when the animal runs, exposi . Q l6 



carry horns, which curve backwards and then forward. .am ajeni [ ^ 



inches. Reedbucks are met with singly or in twos and 



