i8o BIG GAME SHOOTING 



Wherever one may trek, from the Cape Flats to the 

 Zambesi, it is certain to be found, in localities suited 

 to its habits. Even in the driest recesses of the 

 Kalahari, I have met with numbers of these little 

 antelopes, ranging far from any available water 

 supply. The steenbok is shot by the sportsman in 

 search of game birds, even more repeatedly than is 

 the duyker. Found on open, grassy flats, or among 

 thin, scattered bush, it often gets up within twenty 

 paces of the gunner, and is brought down with a 

 charge of shot. Often secured with the small-bore 

 rifle, it is hunted with foxhounds, and coursed by 

 the Cape Colony farmers with greyhounds. These 

 are swift little buck, but, like so many of the ante- 

 lopes, are gifted with a fatal curiosity, which induces 

 them more often than not, having run for a short 

 distance, to stand and have a look at their disturbers. 

 A good steenbok ram stands 20 inches at the 

 withers, and carries short, sharp horns, measuring 

 from 4 to 4^ inches in length. In exceptional 

 specimens the horns attain from 5 to nearly 7 

 inches. The females are hornless, as are grysbok 

 ewes. In shape and appearance this delicate little 

 antelope is perfection, with its slender form, small, 

 beautiful head, and dark eyes. The colour is 

 rufous -fawn, with a curious silver sheen, and pale 

 underparts. The flesh, like that of the grysbok, 

 is good if somewhat dry eating. This buck is 

 sometimes known to the Boers as the Bleekbok. 

 Native names are Bechuana, Puruhuru ; Zulu and 

 Matabele, Ingcina ; Masarwa, Gai-ee ; Makalaka, 



