Z54 Great and Small Game of Africa 



It is a question whether the steinbuck found by Herr Neumann in 

 German East Africa, which has been described by Herr Matschie as a new 

 species and named Neumann's steinbuck, and which is probably the same as 

 those found by us, is really distinct or not, or whether it is the same as the 

 South African steinbuck, which is found from the Cape to the Zambesi. 1 

 On our way down from Taveta to the coast, near Mount Maiingu, I shot 

 a steinbuck in a small opening in thorny bush which to me then certainly 

 appeared different from those obtained round Kilimanjaro, being a de- 

 cidedly heavier antelope, while the horns were shorter. I noted it down in 

 my diary as a new antelope, and on my return home handed the skull to 

 Dr. Giinther, but he could not see sufficient difference to distinguish it from 

 the common steinbuck. 



Sir Richard Brooke tells me that when hunting with dogs in South 

 Africa he has often seen these antelopes, when hard pressed, go to ground 

 in the holes made by the aard-vark, and this is also confirmed by Messrs. 

 Nicolls and Eglington in The Sportsman in South Africa? I have the 

 following note in my diary of our Kilimanjaro expedition : — " Sir Robert 

 Harvey killed, I think, a new animal, so give the measurements. There is 

 very little difference between it and a grass antelope. Height at shoulder 

 20 inches, girth of chest 20 inches, length to root of tail 30 inches, length 

 of tail 2 inches." This may be Neumann's steinbuck. 



H. C. V. Hunter. 



1 It is more than doubtful whether Neumann's steinbuck is a good species. It" it is, there can be 

 little doubt that the East African steinbuck described by Mr. Hunter is one and the same animal 

 with that discovered by Herr Neumann. Neumann's steinbuck is said to be "similar to R. campestris, 

 but without any black colour on the head." — Ed. 



2 I have seen a steinbuck go to ground in this way when hunted by Sir Frederick Carrington's fox- 

 hounds in Bru.-ii B',. Ini.nuiiund. — En. 



