THE BLAU-BOK, OR BLUE BUCK. 649 



have tracked him for miles over his blood-stained spoor. But still he does sometimes 

 retreat and recover after receiving very severe hurts. 



When the Riet-bok is disturbed, he gives as he gallops off a kind of whistling sneeze, 

 which is usually intended as a call for the doe. This whistle sometimes leads to his 

 destruction, as the hunter may pass close to a hidden buck and not have seen it. 

 Then, however, he usually jumps up and gallops away, giving this whistle, which at 

 once attracts attention. The Riet-bok is very fond of young corn, and therefore the 

 Kaffirs are most anxious to drive away or to 'kill any of these Antelopes which had 

 chosen a retreat near their cornfields. On several occasions I won the eternal friend- 

 ship of a whole village by shooting some trespassing bucks which had annoyed them 

 for several weeks. 



The height of this animal is about three feet, and its length nearly five feet. The 

 horns are a foot in length, and covered with bold rings at the base ; the ears are six 

 inches long. Its color is ashy-gray above, and white beneath ; the female is rather 

 smaller than her mate, and is destitute of horns. In the Kaffir language its name is 

 Umseke." 



The ^EQUITOON, KOB, or SING-SING, is a native of Western Africa, and is frequently 

 found on the banks of the Gambia. 



It is a large animal, equalling the common stag in dimensions, and bearing some re- 

 semblance to that animal in general aspect. The horns of the adult male are lyre- 

 shaped, and covered with rings. The general color of this animal is a pale brown, the 

 entire under surface and inner faces of the limbs being white. There is no mane, and 

 the tail is rather long, and covered with hair. 



The WATER BUCK, or PHOTOMOK, is one of the handsome examples of the South 

 African Antelopes. 



It is a peculiarly timid animal, and when alarmed rushes at once towards the nearest 

 river, into which it plunges without hesitation, and which it will cross successfully even 

 when the stream is deep, strong, and rapid. The animals are probably induced to take 

 to the water by their instinctive dread of the lion and leopard, which will never volun- 

 tarily enter the water, except under peculiar circumstances. The Water Bucks are 

 generally found in small herds, which never wander far from the banks of some large 

 river. The horns of this species are remarkable for their formation, being somewhat 

 lyrate, bent back, and thrown forwards at their extremities. The tail is rather long, and 

 is covered with long hairs towards its termination. The flesh of this animal is very 

 powerfully scented, and is of so bad a flavor that none but a hungry Kaffir will eat it, 

 and even he will not do so until forced by dire hunger. This peculiar scent is probably 

 variable in potency according to the season of the year, as is the case with all perfumed 

 animals. Captain Harris says that those which he has killed have been totally 

 uneatable, not even the native palate being proof against the rank flavor. The scent 

 extends to the skin, which exhales so powerful an odor that when Captain Harris was 

 engaged in cutting off the head of a Water Buck which he had killed, the scent was 

 so strong as to drive him repeatedly from his task. 



The color is brown, with the exception of a grayish-white oval patch round the base 

 of the tail. The specific term, ellipsyprymnus, is given to the animal in reference to this 

 elliptical mark. The female is without horns. The height of the adult male is about 

 four feet six inches, and his horns are rather more than thirty inches in length. 



THE two species which are placed in the genus ^Egocerus bear a considerable re- 

 semblance to the ibex in the formation of the horns, which are of very great dimensions, 

 large at the base, strongly ringed, and curved backwards towards the shoulders. The 

 name ./Egocerus is of Greek origin, and signifies Goat-haired, in allusion to the peculiar 

 structure of these appendages. 



The BLAU-BOK, or Blue Buck, as it is called, on account of the slaty-blue color of its 

 coat, is now a rather rare animal, although it was formerly common in many parts of 

 Southern Africa. 



