Livingstone's Suni 257 



antelopes, and except in the early mornings and the evenings, when they 

 feed through the narrow open glades, they never leave the densest wooded 

 tracts. They are entirely independent of water, and I think that to a great 

 extent the pinnate leaves of a shrub which, with but few exceptions, I 

 found in the stomachs of those I shot, and which are of an excessively 

 watery nature, supply the animals' requirements in this respect. They are 

 not gregarious. I always saw solitary individuals or pairs, though a dozen 

 or more may sometimes be found feeding together. These antelopes are 

 equally bush and grass feeders, and when pasturing in the open glades may 

 constantly be seen raising their heads and clipping the leaves from various 

 shrubs. Owing to the feeling of security which these silent forest tracts 

 afford, the lumswi may be seen feeding as late as 9 a.m., and in the after- 

 noons as early as 4 p.m. In cloudy, wet, and cool weather they move about 

 restlessly all day, frequently rising up and lying down again after feeding 

 for half an hour. During the day's heat they lie asleep under any shady 

 bush, or even in open ground under the shade of the larger trees ; but so 

 perfect is their protective colouring, so exactly does it harmonise with the 

 red-brown leaves which strew the ground underfoot, that though I have 

 tried over and over again, often sweeping the ground ahead with my field- 

 glasses, I have never yet been able to detect one lying down. They 

 usually lie very closely, jumping up at not over 10 yards, and from that 

 to 30 yards, when they bound away with wonderful speed, twisting and 

 dodging amongst the trees, and, being so small, are almost impossible to 

 hit with a rifle. When alarmed during the heat of the day, however, they 

 invariably stand after running about 100 yards, and if the eye has been 

 quick enough to follow them, they then offer an easy shot ; if they 

 are again disturbed, they run much farther before standing, as each time 

 they are forced to run they increase the distance covered before they halt, 

 and are thus soon lost to view in the gloomy bush. But when alarmed on 

 their feeding-grounds, they scurry off at a great rate and never stand as 



