Photo by Miss E. J. Beck.
KLIPSPRINGER.
The "cliff-jumper" is as active in its habits as a chamois, and is found in most of the mountain-ranges of Africa.
The Smaller Bucks.
In addition to the great number of antelopes of large size which inhabit the African Continent, there are also very many small species, the life history and habits of some of which are as yet but imperfectly known, since they are denizens of dense forests, and feed principally at night.
All these small African antelopes are divided into two sub-families. The first comprises the African Duikers and the Indian Four-horned Antelope, and the second the Dik-diks, Oribis, Klipspringer, and certain other small bush-antelopes.
The African duikers are distributed throughout Africa south of the Sahara, and are represented by some twenty different species, the largest of which approaches a small donkey in size, whilst the smallest is not much larger than a hare.
The majority of these dainty little antelopes are inhabitants of the dense tangled forests of the coast-belts of Africa, and are therefore but seldom seen by travellers and sportsmen. One species of the group, however, the Common Duiker of South Africa, is a very well-known animal. This little antelope inhabits much more open country than most of its congeners, and has an enormous range, extending from Cape Agulhas to Somaliland, whilst two very nearly allied forms are found in Senegal and Abyssinia respectively.
Photo by G. W. Wilson & Co., Ltd.] [Aberdeen.