NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



are sometimes seen together. These are individuals 

 which, through faihng strength, have been driven 

 off by more virile and younger males. On the 

 approach of the breeding season, the males of the 

 various species of antelopes engage in combat, 

 which results in the victors becoming the favoured 

 suitors of the females, and the vanquished being 

 driven off and compelled to live celibate lives. In 

 this way the survival of the fittest is assured. 



The habits of the Puku are more or less similar 

 to those of the Waterbuck. 



They are usually met with along the banks of the 

 rivers, grazing on the succulent herbage which 

 thrives along the banks, and are never met with 

 out on the treeless, swampy plains which are such 

 favourite grazing grounds of the Lechwe Kob. 



When a Puku is wounded it usually seeks to escape 

 to the bush ; but when hard pressed it will plunge 

 into a river and swim across in the endeavour to 

 elude its pursuers. 



Some fifteen years or so ago the Puku became so 

 scarce that the horns rose from ^25 to ^30 per 

 pair, but owing to the checking of the former 

 wholesale and indiscriijiinate destruction of game 

 animals, these fine ante;lopes will be saved from 

 extinction. 



There is no inducement to sportsmen in shooting 

 this antelope other than securing the head as a 

 trophy, for the flesh is coarse and without flavour, 

 and is, in consequence, most unpalatable to Euro- 



74 



