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“The Red Rhébuck is generally found in favourable localities all over that 
part of Africa south of the Zambesi, but more plentiful in the mountainous 
ranges of the Transvaal and the broken country in the Bechuanaland 
Protectorate, especially 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 Vaal Rhébuck (Pelea capreolus) 
one old ram of a herd constantly acts as sentinel while the remainder feed, 
and on the least approach of danger at once gives the alarm by shrilly 
whistling. The flesh is somewhat poor.” 
In his recently published ‘Haunts of Wild Game,’ Mr. F. V. Kirby, 
F.Z.S., has given us an excellent account of his sporting wanderings in the 
north-eastern provinces of the Transvaal. Here this Reedbuck, as he tells us, 
is now only found on the mountain-range of the Drakensberg. In former 
days, however, he had seen them amongst the foot-hills and well down in the 
flats in the district lying between the Sabi and Crocodile Rivers, where they 
run in small toops of from six to eight. 
A letter received by Sclater from Mr. Kirby in the summer of 1896 gives 
the following further particulars of this Antelope :— 
“The so-called Rooi Rhébuck are usually found in pairs, or in small 
‘“clumpies’ (excuse the Dutch) of four or five. Never on the bleak open 
mountain-summits like Pelea capreolus, but always on the ‘hang’ of the 
mountains—the narrow terraces thickly covered with sugar-bush. ‘They lie 
close like Reedbuck, and when alarmed move off with a shrill whistle, like 
that of their confréres. Their action when in motion is also similar to that 
of C. arundinum—a sort of easy, free, rocking-horse motion, like a horse in a 
hand canter. 
“The tail is always fan-spread, as in C. arundinum. ‘The fur of the 
young animal is very woolly in texture, as in that of the young Reedbuck. 
The flesh I consider decidedly coarse, quite as much as that of Pelea 
capreolus. 
“When running off on being alarmed, a sharp whistle will usually bring 
them to a stand, under 200 yards. Amongst the rocks they are quite as 
active as Vaal Rhébuck, but unlike them, when alarmed, they never run up 
hill towards the summits, but invariably make down for the deep wooded 
kloofs. The young are born in October to December. I have seen Rooi 
Rhébuck running with Vaal Rhébuck (Pelea capreolus) in a troop, but only 
when all have been alarmed on the edge of the kloof together.” 
