THE SPORTSMAN IN SOUTH AFRICA. 2/ 



and is said to be still occasionally met with there ; but from thence 

 to the Zambesi, in very broken and mountainous country, it is fairly 

 common. In the hills about Kanya and Molopolole, in the Bechu- 

 analand Protectorate, it is plentiful, as also in the Zoutpansberg, 

 Waterberg, and Murchison Ranges in the Transvaal, and throughout 

 the broken portions of Matabeleland. It is always a very wary little 

 animal, difficult to reach with a shot gun, and its diminutive size does 

 not afford an easy mark for the rifle. The hoofs, unlike other species 

 of antelope, do not project to a point, but are formed almost similar 

 to those of the European chamois, which it closely resembles in its 

 habits. It is thus enabled to obtain a foothold on the face of almost 

 perpendicular rocks which would appear inaccessible to any animal. 

 It invariably frequents the tops of the highest kopjies (hills) and only 

 descends to the valleys when darkness sets in for the purpose of 

 drinking, which it does regularly. Driving is the best, if not the only, 

 plan by which a shot can be obtained at the Klipspriijger, stalking 

 being rarely successful, as the hill summits are generally covered 

 with stunted bush or herbaceous plants, which afford concealment to 

 the animal when reclining during the daytime. They do not asso- 

 ciate together in herds. The Klipspringer is easily tamed and makes 

 a most sagacious pet, but from a habit they have of nibbling at every- 

 thing which could possibly injure them, they usually fall victims to 

 their own irregular appetites. A storekeeper at Kanya had several 

 of this species thoroughly domesticated, but they all succumbed in 

 time to the poisonous effects of eating the cast-off leaden capsules of 

 whisky bottles 1 The flesh is extremely good. 



The Duiker [Cephalolophus grimmi). Fig. 26, Plate VII.) — 

 {Duiker-bok of the Dutch; Puti of the Bechuanas; Impuzi 

 of the Matabele.) 



[^Average height of adult male about 26 inches. General colour^ 

 a mixture of dark grey and brown, with an olive tinge, whitish 

 beneath. Horns about 4 inches in length, placed close together far 

 back between the ears, standing a little outwards, annulated at the 

 base, a long tuft of hair projecting in the centre. Females usually 

 hornless, but they are occasionally met with in the Kalahari and 

 Bechuanaland carrying short and imperfect horns. Spoor, 1% 

 inches, heart-shaped, being narrower at the heel in proportion to 

 that of the Steinbuck.'\ 



