6 4 6 



DUYKER-BOK. 



parts of the body and outside of the limbs, deepening into warm chestnut-brown along 

 the back, and becoming pure white on the abdomen, chest, inner surface of the limbs, and 

 around the root of the tail. It is a native of Abyssinia, where it was discovered by 

 Bruce, and is said to inhabit mountainous districts, where it lives in pairs. 



The DUYKER-BOK, or IMPOON, has derived its name of Duyker, or Diver, from its 

 habit of diving suddenly, when alarmed, into the heavy brushwood among which it lives, 

 and of disappearing from the sight of the hunter. For the following valuable account of 

 the animal I am again indebted to Captain Drayson's MS. notes on the fauna of Southern 

 Africa, which he has kindly placed at my disposal. 



" On the borders of the bush, the Antelope which is most commonly met is the 

 Duyker, a solitary and very cunning animal. 



If the sportsmen should happen to overtake this buck, it will lie still, watching him 

 attentively, and will not move until it is aware that it is observed. It will then jump 

 up and start off, making a series of sharp turns and dives, spmetimes over bushes, and 



DUYKER-BOK. Cephalopus mergens. 



at others through them. When it conceives that it is observed, it will crouch in the 

 long grass or behind a bush, as though it were going to lie down. This conduct is, however, 

 nothing but a ruse for the purpose of concealing its retreat, as it will then crawl along 

 under the foliage for several yards, and when it has gone to some distance in this sly 

 manner, will again bound away. It is therefore very difficult to follow the course of a 

 Duyker, as it makes so many sharp turns and leaps, that both ' spoorer ' and dogs are 

 frequently baffled. 



If the course of the buck can be watched, and the place discovered where it lies 

 down after its erratic manceuvrings, it can be easily stalked by approaching it from the 

 leeward side. One must, however, be a good shot to secure a Duyker with certainty, for 

 the little creature is so tenacious of life that it will carry off a large charge of buck-shot 

 without any difficulty, and the irregular course which it then pursues requires great 

 perfection and quickness in shooting with a single ball. 



The Duyker is not a very swift animal, and almost any ordinary dog can pull one 

 down. An old pointer, which served me as a dog of all work, frequently caught and held 

 a Duyker until I came to the death. 



