RUMINATING QUADRUPEDS. 



145 



our clearing the low range of hills through which the epringboka 

 had been pouring, I beheld the boundless plains, and even the 

 hill sides which stretched away on every side of me, thickly 

 covered, not with herds, but with one vast herd of springboks ; asi 

 far as the eye could strain, the landscape was alive with them, 

 until they softened down into a dim red mass of living creatures." 

 The Gazelles are hunted not only with dogs, assisted by 

 the .felcon, but also, in some countries, with the ounce. This fine 

 animal, tamed for the purpose, generally goes with the hunter ; 

 and when the prey is near, they unchain it, and show it the Ga- 

 zelles. It immediately exerts all its arts and fierceness in the 

 p"^m.it, not, as might be supposed, by running after them, but by 



turning and winding about with the utmost cunning till it is _^.ir 

 its prey, when it bounds all at once upon the Gazelle, strangles it 

 instantaneously, and sucks its blood. If it misses its aim, which 

 often happens, it rests in the place, nor attempts to pursue them 

 any further ; perhaps from the instinct that, as they can run much 

 swifter, and a longer time, the chase would be useless. The 

 master then draws near the ounce, coaxing it, and flinging it some 

 13 K 



