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Great and Small Game of Africa 



and sneaks away in a very different manner from the gallant bounding 

 spring with which its near relative, Clarke's gazelle, or the dibatag, removes 

 itself from the object of its fears. It goes usually in small troops of from 

 three to ten individuals, and is generally found on stony ground much 

 broken up into ravines and gullies, and covered more or less densely with 

 trees, bushes, and various species of aloes bristling with thorns. 



The gerenuk is a browsing animal, and is not infrequently met with in 

 localities partly, or so wholly barren, that grass is entirely absent. In such 

 localities it feeds entirely upon the leaves of such trees as it can readily reach ; 

 it has the curious habit of supporting itself against the trunk by its fore-feet, 

 and so partly climbs up, and by means of its long neck is enabled to reach 

 leaves that are a considerable distance from the ground, say 6 or 7 feet. 

 It is the only ruminant I know that is given to climbing trees. 



Like all antelopes, this species is possessed of great curiosity, a failing 

 that is often fatal to its safety ; whenever it sees an unusual object, as a 

 hunter, for instance, it will stand absolutely motionless and gaze steadily, 

 sometimes for several minutes. If it sees no movement in the object of its 

 suspicions, it will commence quietly to feed or walk slowly along in its 

 usual careless way. These moments, when he is being so closely scrutinised, 

 are very trying to the hunter, who is obliged to remain absolutely rigid, no 

 matter what his position may be, until the gerenuk is satisfied there is 

 no danger ; otherwise, if the slightest motion is detected, the head is 

 dropped behind the bush and the animal sneaks away. As a rule it does 

 not go very far, and I never saw a gerenuk that I could not have eventually 

 secured if I determined to have him. It was only the exercise of a little 

 time and patience, and an approach to a fair shooting distance could 

 certainly be gained. 



I consider the gerenuk a rather stupid creature, and it does not seem to 

 possess the wariness, watchfulness, and general ability to protect itself from 

 danger which are the common attributes of other species of antelopes and 



