'775- whiikers. with which this creature is furniihed, are black. The hairs in general are very fine and denfe, the length of them being about half an inch. But the dark-brown ones, which border on the white on the nind part of the back, are from two to three, or three and a half inches long. Of about the; fame length are the white hairs, which grow neareft the dark-brown ones juft mentioned; but the middle part o f the white ftripe, confifts of ihort hairs like the reft of the body. The intentionof the long brown hairs is for the moft part, and in a great meafure, to cover the dazzling white part of the back juft mentioned, the brightnefs and purity of which feems by this means to be preferved; fo that the animal, by the expanfion of this colour to the breadth of fix, eight, or nine inches, may, on certain occafions, be able to make a more fplendid appearance. This expanfion particularly takes place when the animal takes a high leap, which it never fails to do when it is pur- fued. Without any other view than that of contemplating this peculiar property of the fpring-bok, I have frequently rode full fpeed after whole herds of them; when it was no lefs pleafant than curious, to fee them jumping over each others heads to the height of two yards, and, indeed, fome- times much higher. Some of them would take three or four high leaps together in immediate fucceffion, but did not feem to get on a whit fafter than the others; which, in the mean while, kept on an even running pace, interfperfed now and then with a moderate leap or two. With their loftieft bounds they made ftill lefs progrefs. In this fituation too they feemed to be fufpended, as it were, for fome time in the x ' air, air, in order, perhaps with a kind of oftentation, to look over their ihoulders at their purfuers; and at the fame O y O time, by the expanfion of the white part of their backs to throw out a kind o f menace, which, upon any other adverfary than man, may, perhaps, have the intended effeft. The pofition of their bodies, when they made the higheft leaps, was various. Sometimes we faw thefe animals with their backs bent convex, their heads downwards, and all their four feet brought clofe together. Sometimes their backs were hollow, fo that their bellies bulged out beneath; by which means the nape of their necks and their rumps were brought pretty near to. each other, while the fore feet and hind feet were fo much the more feparated for it. When hunted, thefe animals fuffer themfelves foon to be difperfed, fo that in a ihort time I had not more than two or three of them to purfue. Otherwife, as foon as the whole flock had got to fome diftance they would all make a ftand, and turn round to look at their purfuers. It is pretty nearly in this pofture that the animal is repre- fented in the drawing hereto annexed, at the fame time fomewhat expanding the white hairs on its back and rump. To conclude, fpring-boks are extremely fwift o f foot; fo that it requires a good horfe, and one that is by no means deficient in point of wind, in order to overtake them. In other refpedts they are not very ihy, fometimes allowing a fportf- man either on foot or on horfeback to come within reach of them. Their fleih is very palatable, and has a more juicy V o l . II. N and
27f 72-2
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