179 
Mr. F. C. Selous, who did not include the Roi Rhébok amongst the 
species met with in his ‘Hunter’s Wanderings,’ published in 1881, subse- 
quently obtained full particulars concerning this species, and has kindly 
favoured us with the following valuable notes:— 
“The *Rooi Rhébok’ of the Boers is an inhabitant of arid stony hills, 
and wherever such hills are met with one may expect to find this handsome 
little Antelope throughout the Cape Colony, Natal, Zululand, the Orange 
Free State, the Transvaal, Bechuanaland, and the southern portion of the 
Bechuanaland Protectorate. In the west it does not range further north than 
Sichele’s country, and though plentiful in the parched-up stony hills 
scattered over the territory of that chief, it is unknown in very similar 
ground in Khama’s.country, only a short distance further north; nor have I 
ever heard of its existence in any country to the north of the Limpopo River, 
and it is certainly unknown in Makalakaland, Matabeleland, and Mashuna- 
land. In appearance the Red Rhébuck looks very much like a minature 
Reedbuck, but on a close inspection, although the resemblance between the 
two species is very close, certain points of difference will be noted. Both 
species have a large fluffy tail, which they throw up when alarmed, exposing 
the white under surface; the shape of the ears is the same in both, and both 
have bare spots about the size of a sixpence an inch below the base of the 
ears. There is not much difference in the colour of the two species, and the 
distribution of white on the underparts of each is the same. The character 
of the horns in the two species is, however, different, for although the male 
Red Rhébuck has horns crooking forwards like those of a Reedbuck, a pair of 
Red Rhébuck horns do not look like a pair of Reedbuck horns in minature. 
The minor points of divergence would be difficult to explain, though apparent 
enough on comparison of actual specimens; but the most important difference 
is the absence in the Red Rhébuck of the soft cushion at the base of the horn, 
which is always present in the Reedbuck. This soft gristly cushion covered 
with black skin, at the base of the horn above the eye, is found in no other 
Antelope but the Reedbuck, and is never absent in this species, nor does it 
ever disappear or turn into horn with age, being invariably found at the base 
of the horns of the oldest males. In the Red Rhébuck the hair grows close 
up round the base of the horn, as in all other Antelopes, with the exception 
of the Reedbuck. In both species the females are hornless, and in both the 
alarm-call is a shrill whistle. Although the Red Rhébuck is so similar in 
shape, coloration, and general appearance that it looks like a miniature 
VOL. II. - 2C 
