Fig. 79.
Skull and horns of Peters’s Gazelle, ♂.
(From one of Mr. Jackson’s specimens in the British Museum.)
In 1884 Dr. Günther, commenting on Peters’s figure of this supposed Gazella granti, stated that in his opinion it “clearly belonged to a distinct species. It resembled somewhat Gazella thomsoni in the slight degree in which the horns diverge from each other; but their annulated portion was almost straight, and the annuli themselves were much further apart, much fewer in number (about twelve), and lower towards the hinder part of the horn. The base of the bony core showed a bossy swelling, which was different from that of Gazella granti, and entirely absent in Gazella thomsoni.” This species Dr. Günther proposed to call Gazella petersi.
There has, however, been much doubt raised by subsequent authorities as to the validity of this species, and although we have given a separate heading to Gazella petersi we have had considerable hesitation as to whether it ought not to be regarded rather as a local subspecies of G. granti, to which it is closely allied in all essential characters. But since we have as yet seen no specimens absolutely intermediate between the two, so far as the rump-markings are concerned, we have thought it advisable to keep them provisionally separate. At the same time we shall be in no way surprised if such specimens should occur, in which case the two forms will have to be united. As regards the skulls, no constant or tangible difference can be made out, although those of G. petersi can usually be distinguished by their smaller size, narrower nasal opening, and shorter and less divergent horns.
Mr. F. G. Jackson, in ‘Big Game Shooting,’ gives us the following account of this Gazelle and his experiences with it:—
“Gazella petersi (known to the Swahilis also as ‘Sala’) may be a local variety of G. granti rather than a distinct species. It used to be plentiful at Merereni on the British East African coast, and is still found further inland in the Galla country. It is certainly a smaller beast than Gazella granti from Kilimanjaro and Machakos, but in other respects is almost identical, excepting in the shape and size of the horns, which I have never known to exceed 22 inches in length measured along the curve. The horns are also straighter, and have not nearly such a pronounced backward curve as those of G. granti, neither do they diverge towards the points so much, being rarely more than seven or eight inches apart at the widest parts. Gazella petersi is found in the small open plains and open scrub.”
In the gallery of the British Museum there is a good mounted specimen of the adult male of this species, also another younger specimen from the “Mainland opposite Zanzibar,” and a third from “Mombasa,” besides two skulls (♂ and ♀) from “South Somaliland,” all presented by Sir John Kirk. These were formerly labelled G. granti, but must be referred to G. petersi if the species are kept separate. There is also in the Museum a fine skin and skull of a male G. petersi from near Mount Pika-pika, about 40 miles from Mombasa, presented by Mr. L. E. Caine. It would appear, therefore, that the range of G. petersi until lately extended all along the coast of British East Africa, though it has now perhaps been nearly shot out in the southern parts.
The British Museum has likewise three skulls of this Gazelle from the Tana River presented by Mr. F. J. Jackson, to whom we are also much indebted for the loan of two other representative heads of this species from Merereni, south of Formosa Bay.