302 UNGULATES. 



ground by greyhounds. In heavy sand, or on soft ground during the rains, they 

 are, however, easily overtaken by good dogs ; and wounded buck may be ridden 

 down. An account of black -buck coursing with the hunting-leopard will be found 

 on p. 445 of the first volume ; and antelope-stalking is a favourite Indian sport. 



Young fawns are generally concealed by the does in long grass. The bucks 

 utter a short grunt, and the does a kind of hissing sound when alarmed. During 

 the pairing-season the bucks engage in frequent combats among themselves. 

 When taken young, the black-buck can be easily tamed, but the males are apt to 

 be dangerous at certain seasons. 



THE REITBOK. 

 Genus Cervicapra. 



The reitbok, or reedbuck (Cervicapra arundineum), introduces us to a totally 

 different group of large or small antelopes confined to Africa. These animals have 

 horns only in the males ; narrow, goat-like, upper molar teeth ; and either a hairy 

 or a naked muzzle. There is generally a gland below the eye, which may, 

 however, be very small ; and the skull usually has a large unossified space below 

 the eye, and distinct pits in the forehead. The horns may be either large, lyrate, 

 widely spreading, and thickly ringed, or small and upright. The tail is either of 

 medium length, or very short. 



The reitbok is characterised by its comparatively small horns, which bend 

 forwards somewhat after the manner of those of Clarke's antelope. The tail is 

 bushy and comparatively short, not reaching to within some distance of the hocks, 

 and the lateral hoofs are very small. In height this antelope stands nearly 3 feet ; 

 and the short, smooth, and almost woolly fur is of a pale brownish fawn on 

 the upper-parts, with a tinge of orange on the head ; the under-parts and inner 

 sides of the limbs being dirty white. Very old does become much paler, in fact 

 almost white. The ordinary length of the horns is from 12 to 13 inches along the 

 curves, although they occasionally reach 15 and 16 inches. 

 Distribution and Formerly reitbok were to be met with throughout Central South 



Habits. Africa, wherever there are open grassy or reedy valleys traversed by 

 streams, but they are now practically exterminated in Bechuanaland, and rare in 

 the Transvaal, although still common in many districts, such as the Chobi region, 

 They generally associate in pairs, and it is seldom that more than three or four 

 individuals (of which one or two will be young) are seen together, although some- 

 times as many as eight may be observed feeding within a short distance of one 

 another. Mr. Selous mentions that "although the reedbuck is never found far 

 from water, it always keeps on dry ground, and when chased I have never seen 

 one take to boggy ground, but have noticed that rather than cross a narrow 

 stream of water they will make a long detour." Indeed, when hunted these 

 antelope will invariably seek refuge in bush, or by flight into the open dry 

 country. The males, if suddenly frightened, sometimes utter a whistling sound. 

 In pace this species is slow, and it is one of the easiest of African antelopes 

 to stalk. 



