THE SPORTSMAN IN SOUTH AFRICA. 35 



Other the "Lesser Reedbuck" or Reiibok. It is true that the 

 question has been raised before ; but it has, as we believe, been too 

 hastily assumed by experienced men like Harris that it is the 

 young of the Reedbuck; whereas our investigations and observations 

 lead us to suppose that the "Lesser Reedbuck" is merely a young 

 specimen of the common Reedbuck, the Red Rhebuck being wholly 

 distinct from that animal. One writer has even gone so far as to 

 assert that the latter resembles the Vaal Rhebuck (Pelea capreold) 

 in every particular except the colour of the coat ! In the Osteo- 

 logical Section of the Natural History Museum, South Kensington, 

 there is a single specimen of horns which was sent from the Orange 

 River so long ago as 1830, and which bears a greater resemblance 

 to the Reedbuck than do those of the Red Rhebuck, although they 

 are much smaller, but which, on account of their being taken from a 

 full grown animal, are apparently a distinct species. Whether they 

 are the horns of the so-called " Lesser Reedbuck " or not we cannot 

 determine; but if so, that antelope must long since have become 

 extinct, if, indeed, it ever existed. It is very certain, however, that 

 the Red Rhebuck is as different from the Reedbuck as the Oribi is 

 from the Springbuck, in confirmation of which the habits of the 

 two varieties are totally at variance with each other. The former, 

 which runs in herds often exceeding 20 in number, invariably 

 frequents the summits of hilly and mountainous districts where 

 there are no reeds, and from whence water may be miles and miles 

 distant. The Reedbuck, on the contrary, either in pairs, or never 

 exceeding four at a time, is only found in low-lying country along 

 those rivers which have reeds lining their banks. The one pecu- 

 liarity common to both species is the fact that the males, when 

 alarmed, give vent to a shrill whistle. As a deduction, therefore, 

 and in the absence of any proof to the contrary, we are bound to 

 assume that the so-called "Lesser Reedbuck" has been confused 

 with the Red Rhebuck, which, by the way, is probably identical 

 with the Nagor (Cervicapra reduncd) of West-central Africa. 

 The Red Rhebuck is generally found in favourable localities all 

 over that part of Africa South of the Zambesi, but more plenti- 

 fully in the mountainous ranges of the Transvaal and the broken 

 country in the Bechuanaland Protectorate^ especially in the vicinity 

 of Sichele's stronghold. Resorting to inaccessible places, it is 

 nowhere by any means abundant, and consequently specimens 

 are but seldom obtained. Like the Rhebuck {Pelea capreold) one 



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