32 THE SPORTSMAN IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



on flanks and thighs ; belly and inside of legs bluish white; front 

 of face from between horns covered with large pure white patch; 

 tail i6 inches. Horns from 13 to IS inches long., dirty white., 

 lyrate, divergent, with several wide half rings on frontal edging. 

 Females with horns, but more slender. Spoor similar to the 

 Springbuck, about 2yz inches.^ 



This antelope is now only found ranging on some farms in the 

 Transvaal, and on one or two in the Orange Free State. Previous 

 to Sir Charles Warren's Expedition in 1884, they were fairly common 

 on the open flats in Southern Bechuanaland, particularly in the 

 neighbourhood of Groot Choiang, and also in the district of Rha- 

 mathlabama, a few miles North of Mafeking. They are now practic- 

 ally extinct there, an occasional troop only straying from beyond the 

 Transvaal border from the preserved farms. This species is gre- 

 garious and formerly frequented the vast open plains along the Vaal 

 and Orange Rivers in incalculable numbers with the Springbuck, 

 which antelope it resembles closely in habits, and almost equals it in 

 speed. They can be closely approached with a herd of cattle, when 

 a shot may be offered, as in the case of the Springbuck, although 

 they are more wary than that antelope. The flesh is excellent. 



The Bontebuck {Damalis pygargus). Fig. zy, Plate VII.— 

 [Bontehok of the Dutch.) 



\_Height varies from J feet 4 inches to as much as J feet II 

 inches. General colour, light chocolate brown, changing into a rich 

 dark shining chestnut on the neck, flanks, and thighs; space around 

 tail, belly, and legs, from the knee down, with face, pure white. 

 Horns 15 inches, black, erect, lyrate, thicker at base than the Bless- 

 buck, well annulated. Females have horns, but more slender. \ 



This variety, which is one of the largest of South African gazelles, 

 cannot now be considered as a part of the wild game of that 

 country, as it is to-day believed to exist only on the farm of a 

 gentleman named Van der Byl, near Swellendam, in the Cape 

 Colony. Formerly it used to roam in incredible thousands in the 

 Orange River and Karoo districts, but indiscriminate, wilful, and sense- 

 less slaughter has rendered it practically extinct. Its habits resemble 

 those of the Blessbuck in almost every particular, it being, however, 

 much more piebald and more humped than that animal. A pecu- 



