1 86 Wild Life in Central Africa. 



better, if stalking an animal, to give reedbuck a wide 

 berth. 



The skin is very thin, just like strong parchment, and the 

 hair soft and fine. As reedbuck run they hold their tails 

 up, and, as the tails are large and are white underneath, 

 they will often be the first thing to catch the eye. The 

 meat is soft and tender, but rather insipid, and I have 

 noticed that it goes bad sooner than other meat. 



The females are hornless, and weigh much less than the 

 males. 



IMPALA (sEpyceros melampus). 



NATIVE NAMES. 

 Chinyanja - - Nswala. | Chingoni - - Nswala. 



Approximate weight, 3 nolb. 



Good average horns, <J igin. front curve. 



One of the most gracefully formed of the medium-sized 

 antelopes, and very numerous and well distributed wherever 

 there are large rivers. The presence of impala always 

 denotes that water is near, and waterbuck, puku, and 

 reedbuck are an index to the same conditions. 



Impala are often found in large herds of from fifty to a 

 hundred animals. They are particularly common in the 

 Luangwa valley, and their numbers there are probably 

 greater than any other species. They are of a pretty light 

 brown or fallow colour, with white belly, and the heads of 

 the rams, for the does are hornless, are a beautiful shape 

 and nicely ringed. Their flesh is particularly good, being 

 tasty and tender. 



The males, at certain seasons, consort together, and 

 sometimes a herd of over twenty will be seen. In a large 

 herd there is not often more than one full-grown ram. 

 When startled, impala often jump high into the air and 

 give a kind of bark, as do bushbuck when frightened. 



The variety found here is smaller in the body and horns 

 than those found in British East Africa, and is known as 

 Johnston's impala. 



