Gazella thomsoni, Günth. Ann. Mag. N. H. (5) xiv. p. 427 (1884) (fig., horns); Thomson, Masai-land, p. 536 (1885) (fig., horns); Hunter in Willoughby, E. Africa, p. 289 (1889); Ward, Horn Meas. (1) p. 133 (1892), (2) p. 171 (1896); True, P. U.S. Nat. Mus. xv. p. 473, pl. lxxvii. (1892) (Taveta); Lyd. Horns and Hoofs, pp. 236, 239 (1893) (fig., horns); Lugard, E. Africa, i. p. 534 (1893); Jackson, in Badm. Big Game Shooting, i. pp. 285 & 298 (1894); Scott Elliot, P. Z. S. 1895, p. 340; Matsch. Säug. Deutsch-O.-Afr. p. 130 (1895); Rhoads, P. Ac. Philad. 1896, p. 519; Jackson, P. Z. S. 1897, p. 434.
Height at shoulders about 25 inches. General colour deep sandy rufous, all the markings well developed and sharply defined. Central facial band deeper rufous, a black patch present on the top of the muzzle. Light facial streaks pure white, extending quite to the muzzle and surrounding the eye; darker cheek-streaks blackish. Light lateral band present, though not very much paler than the back. Dark lateral band deep black, greatly developed, very broad, sharply defined above and below, extending on to the outer side of the elbow; no sandy streak between it and the white of the belly. Pygal band small, blackish. Ears rather short. Tail sandy at its base above, the remainder black. Knee-brushes present, sandy or whitish.
Skull with short, broad, and quadrangular nasals, nearly as broad as long; premaxillæ straight, scarcely concave above, broadly articulating with nasals. Basal length of skull of a male 7·7 inches, greatest breadth 3·6, muzzle to orbit 4·25.
Horns rather like those of G. bennetti on a large scale, little divergent, sometimes even quite parallel, evenly but very slightly curved backwards for seven-eighths of their length, their tips gently recurved upwards and forwards. In length, over the front curve, they attain to about 14 or 15 inches, the record being 15½.
Female. Similar to the male, but with the horns rudimentary, much smaller than in other African Gazelles; only from 3 to 6 inches in length, of about the thickness of a cedar pencil, smooth and unridged, and in direction crooked and irregular.
Hab. Interior of British and German East Africa, from Lake Rudolph south to Irangi.
Fig. 74.
Horns of Thomson’s Gazelle, ♂.
(Ann. Mag. N. H. (5) xiv. p. 427.)