THE SPRINGHARE OR SPRINGHAAS 



of which there are several species in South Africa. 

 In the more secluded parts, away from the habita- 

 tions of man, the Springhare at times ventures out 

 of its burrow to seek food shortly after sundown. 

 The Eagle returning to its roosting-place after a more 

 or less unsuccessful day's hunting, with its telescopic 

 eyes focussed upon the ground, spies a Springhare 

 feeding. Instantly the Eagle checks its flight, the 

 wings contract, and as swift as a falling stone, it 

 drops with outstretched talons upon its victim, and 

 once within those terrible claws its life is at an end 

 for, if the sharp talons of the bird do not penetrate 

 the vitals of the Springhare and kill it, a stroke or 

 two of the powerful curved beak crushes the skull 

 and, tearing off large pieces of the flesh, the Eagle 

 eagerly gulps them down and flies away to its eyrie 

 with the remainder. 



Lying one afternoon in a shady thicket at the foot 

 of a hill, we were dreamily looking across the veld, 

 awaiting the cool of the evening before again starting 

 out on our travels when, within a few yards, we heard 

 a scuffle, and carefully peering through the dense 

 screen of leaves, we saw a Springhare with a Grey 

 Mungoose (Mungos pulverulentus) clinging to its 

 thigh. The Mungoose had evidently penetrated 

 the burrow and attacked the Springhare, whereupon 

 the latter made a bid for life by rushing out of its 

 burrow, hoping to shake off the aggressor. However, 

 the Mungoose held on tenaciously, and the Springhare, 

 finding it had not succeeded in its object, instead of 



163 



