246 AFRICAN NATURE NOTES CHAP. 



my guide crouched to the ground, at the same 

 time pointing towards a large ant-heap growing 

 out of the dense scrub, and itself covered with 

 undergrowth. Following the direction of his arm, 

 I made out a reddish patch not fifteen yards away 

 in the gloom of the bush ; and, taking it for an 

 inyala doe, I fired into it point-blank, as I required 

 another specimen for mounting. At the shot, the 

 animal fell, and on creeping up to it, I found 

 that it was a young male. It was something less 

 in size than a full-grown female, from which it did 

 not differ in any way in coloration and the number 

 and distribution of white stripes and spots. It was 

 thus interesting, as showing that the male inyala 

 changes in general colour from bright red to dark 

 grey, only losing the rufous and orange tints on 

 the ears and forehead which were still conspicuous 

 in the type specimen described by Mr. Angas 

 when fully adult. 



As it was now getting on for midday, I had the 

 young inyala carried forthwith to the kraal, where 

 I remained until about four o'clock, then again sallied 

 forth, and did another two hours' jungle-creeping 

 before dark. I saw an inyala doe, and could have 

 fired at her, but, thinking there might have been 

 a male accompanying her, did not care to do so 

 too hurriedly, and whilst I was straining my eyes 

 peering" into the bush all around her, she either saw 

 or winded me, and bounded off, quite alone as far 

 as I could make out. 



Early the following" morning I was again in the 

 bush, and just after sunrise came on a male inyala 

 close to the river. He was standing behind a mass 

 of tree stems, with just his tail showing on one side 

 and part of his head on the other. He was evidently 

 looking at us, and as I knew he would be off in 

 a moment, giving but little chance of a shot, 1 

 thought I had better try and put a bullet into him 



