(P. Z. S. 1883, p. 36.)
In our illustration of this species (Plate XCV.) the male has been drawn by Mr. Smit from the adult specimen above mentioned, now in the Zoological Society’s Gardens. The female, in the background, was drawn from the typical skin (now in the British Museum) upon which Sclater founded the species in 1880.
The National Collection likewise contains a skin of an adult male (with horns) of this Antelope, obtained by Mr. du Chaillu in Gaboon, and a stuffed adult male from the same country obtained by purchase. From this last specimen the drawing of the head (fig. 113, p. 169) was taken by Mr. Smit in 1883. It has been kindly lent us for this work by the Zoological Society of London.
April, 1900.
Genus IV. STREPSICEROS.
| Type. | |
| Strepsiceros, Hamilton Smith, Griff. An. K. v. p. 365 (1827) | S. capensis. |
| Calliope, Ogilby, P. Z. S. 1836, p. 138 | S. capensis. |
Large-sized Antelopes resembling Tragelaphus and Limnotragus in that the horns are spirally twisted and present only in the male; but differing from these two genera in that the horns are rounded behind at the base, with a scarcely appreciable external ridge, and form from two and a half to three complete turns with a more open spiral curvature. Further differing from Limnotragus, but resembling Tragelaphus, in the structure of the feet, which are adapted for progression on hard ground. Tail thickly hairy at the sides as in Limnotragus and in most of the species of Tragelaphus.
Range of the Genus. Eastern and Southern Africa from Abyssinia and Somaliland to Cape Colony, extending in Western Africa as far north as the Congo region.
The two known species of this genus may be recognized as follows:—
- a. Height of adult male about four feet or over; horns with a bold and open spiral curvature and strongly diverging from the base; a mane of hairs running along throat in male; no white patches on the throat in either sex, and transverse body-stripes varying from four to ten. 130. S. capensis.
- b. Height of adult male only a little over three feet; horns with much less open curve and but little diverging from base; no throat-mane in the male; two white throat-patches in both sexes, and transverse body-stripes almost always more than twelve 131. S. imberbis.