142 



ANTELOPES 



general body-colour yellow or greyish without darker markings, 

 except a patch on the nose. 



(ii.) Bush-duikers, with the horns, which are generally present in the 



females, pointed, directed backwards parallel to or in continuation 



with the plane of the nose, the ears rounded, and short or 



moderate, and the general colour varying from tawny red, or grey, 



to black, frequently with dark stripes or other marks. 



The duikerbok is typically a southern antelope, and, as represented 



by the Cape race, is easily recognised as being the largest member 



of the first of the groups mentioned above, standing from about 23 to 



26 inches at the shoulder. Although there appears to be considerable 



individual variation in the shade of colour, the typical southern race is 



normally speckled grey fawn, with a more or less pronounced yellow 



tinge ; the forehead is, however, chestnut, the nose has a brown streak, 



and parts of the front surfaces of the limbs are also brown, while the 



inner sides of the legs and all the under- parts are white. Some 



specimens show a greater development of yellow, while in others a brown 



shade is noticeable ; and many examples, especially those from high 



ground or thick bush, have longer and pale buff-coloured hair on the 



under-parts. The record horn-length is 6^ inches. 



An albino doe has been killed in the Transvaal, and a specimen 

 with a white patch on the shoulder in Portuguese East Africa. 



The following account of the habits of this species is contributed 

 by Mr. F. Vaughan Kirby : 



" The duiker is distributed, generally in pairs or singly, throughout 

 southern Africa, from the Cape to the Zambesi ; and wherever I have 

 travelled north of that river, through Portuguese Zambesia and the 

 Mozambique province, I have met with it, although less frequently than 

 in the south. These antelopes are partial to open country with 

 scattered patches of bush, foot-hills and wooded kloofs, scrub-jungle, or 

 thin forest. If water is near, they drink about every other day, but I 

 have met with them in absolutely waterless localities. They eat both 

 leaves of shrubs and grass, and, like bush-buck, red duiker, and blue 

 buck, greedily devour all berries and fruits in season. The young are 

 born at the commencement of the rainy season, and are easily tamed." 

 The duikerbok, owing to the habit from which it takes its name, is 

 somewhat difficult to shoot. In British Bechuanaland it is sometimes 

 hunted with hounds, and at Kimberley is regularly coursed, although 

 many of the old bucks, perhaps as the result of selection, cannot be 

 taken by even the fleetest greyhounds. The flesh is poor. An adult 

 buck will weigh about 30 Ib. 



