832 ON" THE BLUE DUIKEK OF TilE CAPE COLONY. [Nov. 14, 



similar to those of the Eed Duiker (0. nataJensis), they entirely 

 differ from them in their rigid avoidance of really open ground ; for 

 it is well known that the Red Duiker loves to disport himself on 

 open grassy ridges 200 or 300 yards distant from any bush : I 

 have shot many in such situations. " Scuttle " is a word which 

 aptly describes the movements of a Blue-buck when alarmed : 

 unlike G. c/rimmi and C. natalensis, they do not bound away, but 

 move at a quick scuttling trot. 



Blue-buck are almost entirely browsers upon bushes, and it is well 

 known that in order to get at branches which are out of their reach 

 when standing on the ground, they will raise themselves on their 

 hind legs like goats, resting their fore feet against the tree-stem. 

 Perhaps, however, the fact is now made known for the first 

 time (if, indeed, it does not actually amount to the discovery of a 

 hitherto unknown habit of this antelope), that the Blue-buck can 

 and does climb trees ! My brother Mr. E. W. Kirby witnessed this 

 singular feat yesterday morning (21st April), when out stalking, 

 and actually shot one as it stood on a branch, browsing on the 

 leaves around it. He was first attracted to the spot by the low 

 grunting sounds they were making, but, though they were evidently 

 close by, he failed to make one out after carefully scrutinizing the 

 surrounding bush. Advancing cautiously, he soon saw the leaA es of 

 a " boer-boon " tree ^ shaking violently, and for a moment believed 

 it was caused by either baboons or monkeys : at last, to his surprise, 

 he discovered a Blue-buck moving along a branch of the tree some 

 12 feet from the ground. Although in pursuit of Bush-buck, this 

 opportunity of shooting a Blue-buck under such peculiar circum- 

 stances was not to be lost, so he fired and killed it. At the report 

 of the rifle at least eight other Blue-buck dropped from the branches, 

 apparently reaching the ground on all four legs at once, and scuttled 

 off ; while, as he stepped forward to secure the dead one, a male, 

 another dropped apparently out of the tree under which he had 

 knelt to fire the shot. That same morning he saw Blue-bucks in four 

 different trees. The boer-boon tree above mentioned rose from 

 the ground at an angle of about 50°, but the Blue-buck were not on 

 the main trunk, but amongst the smaller branches. I regret that 

 an accident had prevented me from being with my brother that day, 

 as I had intended ; but he assures me he will be able to point out 

 the spot another day, when he is confident I shall an be eye-witness 

 of this singular climbing feat. 



Perhaps it will not be out of place if I here make reference to 

 the singular little Antelope which I shot in Nov. 1896, in the 

 Kwawa district, Portuguese East Africa. The skull is still in 

 Mr. Eowland Ward's hand, (the skin was unfortunately amongst 

 the valuable trophies purloined in Delagoa Bay by a notorious firm 

 of " forAvarding agents "), and was, at my request, sent by him to 

 Mr. Sclater for examination. It was pronounced to be " apparently 

 that of a Blue-buck," but without the skin no definite conclusion 



^ Farmers' bean-tree. 



