THE GUN AT HOME AND ABROAD 
of life the banded duiker appears to be very similar to all other bush- 
duikers, and is therefore seldom seen unless watched for in the forests 
it frequents at early dawn or late in the evening. 
In addition to the many species of red bush -duikers which occur in all 
suitable localities all over the African continent, there are also a number 
of dark, blackish brown, or bluish brown species of very similar habits. 
Of these the best known is the little blue buck, or blue duiker ( Cephalophus 
monticola ), which is very common in the coast regions of South-East 
Africa from the neighbourhood of East London in the Cape Colony 
northwards. 
The bluebuck is an inhabitant of dense scrub jungle, and although in 
places where it is not much disturbed it may be met with in the early 
morning or late evening just outside the bush, it can only be driven into the 
open, even with the help of dogs, with the greatest difficulty, as it will run 
round and round inside the bush, closely pursued by dogs, and dodge 
backwards and forwards through a line of beaters rather than cross an 
open space. When taking part in bush -driving hunts many years ago near 
Durban, Natal, I found the best way to shoot blue bucks was to take up a 
position inside the bush, after first notifying my position to my nearest 
neighbours. In this way I was able to shoot several blue bucks — using a 
shot-gun and number four shot — as they scurried about in the bush, 
after having been moved by beagles, which followed their every turn by 
scent, but did not press them very closely. Living as they do in the shade of 
thick bush, where no grass can grow, blue bucks are necessarily browsers, 
existing on the leaves of various bushes. When water is near at hand, they 
are believed to drink daily, but in times of drought they appear to be able 
to dispense with water, obtaining all the liquid they require from the 
leaves of the bushes on which they feed. 
The blue buck is one of the smallest of African antelopes, standing not 
much over twelve inches at the shoulder. Both sexes carry small, sharp 
horns, which in the male seldom measure more than one inch and a half, 
and in the females are shorter still. As in the red bush -duikers, and other 
small thick -bush antelopes of Africa, such as the Sunis, the ears of the 
blue buck are singularly small, being very short and rounded. 
I have met with blue bucks near Massikessi, and on the Revue and Buzi 
Rivers in Portuguese South-East Africa, but they may have belonged 
to the local race found in Mozambique, which has been named Heck’s 
duiker ( Cephalophus hecki ) , or to the Nyassa race (C. nyasos ) . 
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