SPRING BUCK AND GAZELLE. 



205 



approach it nearer than four or five hundred yards 

 before it indicates its intention of moving off. 



Two couples of greyhounds I had with me in South 

 Africa seven years ago were of the very best strains 

 of blood procurable in the North-country, and they 

 stood the voyage and long up-country journey 

 admirably. When placed in opposition to colonial- 

 bred dogs they invariably beat them ; this I state 

 that the reader may learn that I have just grounds 

 for coming to the conclusions above stated. 



The following may be interesting, as it proves how 

 soon domestic animals learn to adapt themselves to 

 circumstances : To prevent my greyhounds running 

 themselves off their legs when treking up country, 1 

 had a large box fitted upon the tail-board of each 

 waggon, in each of which a brace of my beauties 

 were invariably housed when not in use. 



When a spnng buck was wanted they were released 

 from confinement and shown the game. Immediately 

 afterwards they would steal off, taking advantage of 

 every ant-hill or bunch of karroo bush to conceal 

 themselves, till they had got well up wind and on 

 the course that the prey was certain to pursue. 

 Having allowed full time for these stratagems to be 

 accomplished, on horseback I made a display of 

 being in pursuit of the quarry, when one or more 

 of the spring buck were certain to pass within a 

 measurable distance of where the artful hounds 

 were hidden. The race was then short, brilliant, and 

 almost invariably successful. Even with the slower 

 country-bred dogs, under similar circumstances, the 

 result was almost certain to be the same. 



The spring buck of South Africa and the gazelle of 

 North Africa I consider to attain an almost identical 

 rate of speed, and in my humble belief both are fleeter 

 than the black buck of India. 



To find the fastest antelope I know of, the 

 sportsman must cross the Atlantic Ocean and visit 



