156 THE DUIKERS 



being almost, if not quite, the smallest of all the 

 African antelopes, its size when full-grown being 

 not much, if anything, bigger than that of the 

 common wild rabbit. 



The red duiker is of a foxy red colour, paling 

 under the belly and inside the thighs in very much 

 the same manner as the smaller beast. Taken 

 roughly, on an average I should consider it prob- 

 able that the grey or common duiker may reach in 

 the forests of Zambezia a shoulder measurement 

 of 22 inches or thereabouts, whilst that of the 

 red may perhaps reach 23. 



A very curious habit which these animals 

 share with the klipspringer of the mountains and, 

 I think, the steenbuck is that of depositing their 

 dung in the same place over considerable periods 

 of time. I have frequently seen piles of their 

 droppings of varying ages in the forest which 

 must have taken many days, or even weeks, to 

 accumulate. They are entirely forest-loving 

 animals, and very rarely leave the cover of the 

 thick bush. At times, early in the morning, they 

 may be seen feeding on the edge of the trees ; but 

 even this is of rare occurrence. On the appear- 

 ance of danger they crouch, and I have often known 

 them lie until but a few yards separated us, when 

 they would bolt like hares, leaping high over the 

 bushes and other impedimenta with a rapidity 

 which seemed to suggest the shotgun rather than 

 the rifle. 1 am told that a charge of fairly heavy 

 shot is quite efficacious in bringing them to bag, 

 but have always felt rather nervous of making a 

 fruitless attempt, which would only cause pain 



