REEDBUCK 263 



Of the brightest chestnut, with white belly, and a 

 striking black line down the leg, this graceful type 

 is found, as I have said, in the forests not far from 

 water, and where the tree growths alternate with 

 open glades. It seems almost sacrilege to mention 

 in connection with so fascinating and gentle a 

 creature that the Impala is remarkably good eating, 

 as is also that other well-known cervicaprine the 

 Reedbuck {Ce?~vicapra arundinum), which is, I 

 fancy, rather larger in size than the species just 

 mentioned. 



The Reedbuck does not run in herds ; usually 

 two or three are seen together, never more than 

 five or six, and most frequently only one. On 

 taking alarm, reedbuck bound away with a peculiar 

 wheezy squeak, and if the hunter have the presence 

 of mind to whistle shrilly, they will often halt out 

 of sheer curiosity, thus giving him a chance of a 

 shot. They are often very trying to a stalker, as 

 the singular sound they emit when disturbed alarms 

 the game for a considerable distance. Reedbuck 

 are about the size of a large English roe- deer, and 

 are, I am persuaded, undoubtedly a branch of the 

 Cobus family (unless, that is, they be aberrant 

 forms of the Himalayan Ibex !). Near the sea coast 

 they are especially numerous, their spoor being 

 often visible on the sands. 



The Duiker {Cephalophus grimrni) is fairly 

 numerous, both in the low and moderately elevated 

 country, preferring always forest to plain. I have 

 sometimes thought I have seen the so-called red 

 variety in these districts, but it is somewhat diffi- 

 cult to distinguish between them, except for the 



