72 KLOOF AND KARROO. 



it is exceedingly shy. The slothful Boers seldom, 

 if ever, hunt it ; consequently its only foes are 

 British settlers, eagles, leopards (which abound 

 wherever the klipspringer is found), and an 

 occasional Kaffir or Hottentot. 



When I first set foot in South Africa, I had 

 scarcely even heard of this charming antelope, but 

 in Naroekas I soon came to know and admire the 

 little beauty. On the following morning, after a 

 plentiful breakfast of goat chops and fry, honey and 

 coffee, we started away in quest of klipspringers. 

 There were four of us, and with us went Igneese, a 

 Kaffir from a kraal or location down the valley, the 

 best tracker and sportsman in the district, and a 

 good fellow to boot. Picking our way down the 

 rough stony hillside, we pass the little mealie and 

 oat " lands " in the alluvial soil near the river-bed. 

 Here we disturb, amongst other birds, a small flock 

 of wax-billed grosbeaks {Estrelda astrild). This 

 pretty little bird, common though it is, deserves 

 passing mention. The Boers know it as the roode- 

 bec (red-beak), and, especially the corn-farmers of 

 the Western province, are familiar enough with it, 

 visited as they are by enormous flocks. Upon the 

 back and top it is of a darkish brown colour, under- 

 neath a paler brown, in both places variegated by 

 dark wavy stripes, and all over these prevails a most 

 singular roseate purplish bloom. The bill is of an 

 intense scarlet, which colour is also very notable in 

 the eye stripe, and down the chest and stomach.* 



* I have never seen their nests, but have often heard (and Mr. E. L. Layard, 

 in his interesting work on South African birds, confirms my informants) that 

 these birds nest in common, several using the same nest. When the united 

 famihes arrive, there must be surely sorrow and headaches among the parents 



