1899,] BLUE DUIKER OF THE CAPE COLOi^Y. 831 



the ground are comparatively clear, hence the little Blue Duiker, 

 or Blue-buck, as it is generally called, moves about iu wliat to him 

 is practically open bush, in which objects are visible at a con- 

 siderable distance : thus the stooping, struggling form of the 

 stalker worming a passage through an opening two feet square 

 in an unvielding wall of thorns, or striving to free himself from 

 the too firm embrace of a network of " wacht-een-beetje " bushes, 

 cannot fail to attract attentioa long before the little grey watcher, 

 standing motionless in the shadows, has been discovered. 



At the bush-drives so common iu the Colony, Blue-buck are 

 seldom turned out ; they will keep such dogs as have not learned 

 wisdom of experience tearing round and round a kloof all day, but 

 will never venture to ]^reak unless by chance a hard-pressed indi- 

 vidual takes advantage of some narrow bush-strip at au iinwatched, 

 unthought-of point to escape by way of it into the next kloof. 

 The Blue-buck may be easily bagged, however, in the early 

 morning by the exercise of a little judgment. The direction of 

 the wind must be studied before all things, then search must be 

 made for the most frequented " paths " or " runs." Should one be 

 found which is evidently a main path to and from certain feeding- 

 grounds, this can be watched ; but a surer method is to find a spot 

 where they are accustomed to feed on the surrounding bushes. 

 In such places many converging paths will be seen, in view of 

 which, at a short distance down wind, the watcher must take his 

 stand before sunrise, keeping out of sight behind a bush or fallen 

 tree-trunk. Under such circumstances, his jjatience will not be 

 severely taxed before he is rewarded by a sight of the little grey 

 wood-elves. In localities where water is handy, the paths to 

 and from it may be watched. In the heat of summer Blue-buck 

 frequently drink between noon and 2 p.m., but, as is the case 

 W'ith the Bush-buck, in the extensive arid regions of this Colony, 

 the want of water troubles the Blue-buck not at all ; during the 

 trying drought « hich has raged over the Gamtoos river district 

 for the past fifteen months, countless numbers of both Bush- 

 buck and Blue-buck have certainly not tasted water from one 

 week's end to another. 



In little disturbed localities I have seen Blue-buck playing about 

 in pairs on fairly open^round bordering the kloofs as late as 8 a.ii., 

 and towards evening, during the hour before sunset, they may often 

 be seen standing in or crossing any quiet road which passes through 

 scrub-bush . But they are very quick, and though in the dusk 

 they will stand watching the intruder curiously, yet before the 

 light fails they usually scuttle off very promptly, uttering their 

 sharp, but by no means shrill alarm whistle. They are apt soon to 

 stand again, however, so that if silently followed up, a shot may 

 be obtained. AVhen lyinr up for the day they usually select 

 spots overgrown ^\dth thorn-bush and other vegetation, reaching 

 these from the more open bush, in which they feed, by regulai-ly 

 frequented paths. 



It will be remarked that while in many respects their habits are 



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