NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



The Sassaby inhabits the open grassy veld and 

 bush-veld, but does not frequent the dense jungle- 

 like forests or hills. 



They associate in troops of about a dozen 

 individuals, but oftener in small parties of from 

 three to six. Occasionally large herds are seen 

 towards the close of the dry season. 



Before the advent of the European hunter, the 

 Sassaby roamed the plains in large herds of many 

 hundreds, often in the company of the Zebra and 

 Wildebeest. 



The Sassaby is regarded as the fleetest and most 

 enduring of all South African antelopes, and can 

 easily outdistance even the best-mounted hunters. 

 It usually moves off at first at an ungainly, lumbering 

 canter like its cousin the Hartebeest, but when 

 thoroughly scared its speed rivals that of the finest 

 racehorse. Hunters often manage to get within 

 .gunshot of the Sassaby by concealing themselves 

 and hoisting a piece of red rag on the end of a stick. 

 This bit of cloth waving in the breeze excites the 

 curiosity of these animals, which slowly approach 

 to endeavour to solve the mystery. So confident 

 is the animal in its powers of flight that it will often 

 stand and stare at the hunter until he has approached 

 sufficiently close for an easy and effective shot. 

 The flesh of the Sassaby ranks high as venison. 



The usual calving time is October, although calves 

 are occasionally born in September and as late as 

 December. The bulls fight fiercely, and the defeated 



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