KLIPSPEINGER 177 



almost golden in bright light. Body below whitish. Tail 

 extremely short (barely 1 inch). Horns straight, ringed 

 at the base and from 3 to 5| inches in length. One in 

 Sir Abe Bailey's collection, now in the Transvaal Museum, 

 measures 5^^ inches. A pair in the possession of Mr. 

 J. W. Chaney, Zandrivierspoort, near Nylstroom, measure 



Pio. 96.— Klipspringer Ram. 



7| inches. Height from 1 f to 2 feet ; weight 35 lb. It is 

 found in nearly all the rocky mountains of South Africa, 

 where it resides in small parties of from three to ten 

 individuals. 



It is, however, becoming scarce in most localities and 

 has been rigorously protected in most of the districts in 

 the Transvaal of late years. It is very agile, resembling 

 the Alpine Chamois in its powers of leaping and 

 balancing itself on rocky pinnacles, where hardly a 

 foothold seems possible. It feeds on the bushes and 

 grass of the mountain slopes, and descends at night to 

 drink. Its breeding habits are unknown. We have 

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