December, 1895.
48. NEUMANN’S STEINBOK.
RAPHICERUS NEUMANNI (Matsch.).
Nanotragus tragulus, Hunter, in Willoughby’s E. Afr. p. 290 (1889) (?).
Nanotragus campestris, Jackson, Big Game Shooting, p. 285 (1894) (?).
Pediotragus neumanni, Matsch. SB. nat. Freund. 1894, p. 122 (N. Ugogo); id. Thierw. Ost-Afr. Säugeth. p. 120.
Vernacular Name:—Dondoro in Ugogo (Neumann).
Similar to R. campestris, but without any black colour on the head.
Hab. East Africa, from the Tana to Nyasaland.
As already stated in our remarks on the preceding species, we are by no means satisfied as to the specific difference of the Steinbok of East Africa from the corresponding form met with south of the Zambesi. But until further evidence on this point is available we will not dissent from the views of Herr Matschie, who has decided that the East-African form is distinct, and has proposed to call it after Herr Oscar Neumann, to whom the Berlin Museum is indebted for its specimens.
Herr Neumann, who has recently returned from a most successful expedition, in which he traversed unexplored portions of German East Africa up to Lake Victoria and returned through British territory, met with this Antelope, as he kindly informs us, in Northern Ugogo, Iranga, Usandawe, and near Mount Gurui. He describes its habits as almost like those of Madoqua kirki and Cephalophus harveyi, with which it is often found in company in the thinly-bushed districts. But it also occasionally goes out into the open prairies, and then lies concealed in the tall grasses like the Reedbucks. Its Swahili name is given as ‘Dondoro.’