Antilope algazella, Rüpp. N. Wirb. Abyss. p. 26 (1835).

Antilope tao, H. Sm. Griff. An. K. iv. p. 189, v. p. 327 (1827); A. Sm. S. Afr. Quart. Journ. ii. p. 187 (1834); Schinz, Syn. Mamm. ii. p. 425 (1845).

Antilope leucoryx, Licht. Darst. Säug. pl. i. (1827) (nec Pall.); Hempr. & Ehr. Symb. Phys. Decas ii. pl. iii. (1828) (Dongola); Fisch. Syn. Mamm. p. 478 (1829); Waterh. Cat. Mamm. Mus. Z. S. (2) p. 41 (1838); Oken, Allg. Naturg. vii. p. 1394 (1838); Laurill. Dict. Univ. d’H. N. i. p. 618 (1841); Reichenb. Säug. iii. p. 120, pl. xxxvii. (1845); Schinz, Syn. Mamm. ii. p. 434 (1845); id. Mon. Antil. p. 32, pl. xxxvi. (1848).

Oryx leucoryx, Sund. K. Vet.-Ak. Handl. 1842, p. 201 (1843); Gray, List Mamm. B. M. p. 156 (1843); id. Ann. Mag. N. H. (1) xviii. p. 232 (1846); Sund. Pecora, K. Vet.-Ak. Handl. 1844, p. 206 (form α et γ) (1846); id. Hornschuch’s Transl., Arch. Skand. Beitr. ii. p. 157; Reprint, p. 81 (1848); Gray, P. Z. S. 1850, p. 134; id. Knowsl. Men. p. 17 (1850); id. Cat. Ung. B. M. p. 107 (1852); Barth, Reise, i. p. 589 (1850) (Asben, Centr. Afr.); Scl. P. Z. S. 1863, p. 230 (gestation, 8 mths.); Fitz. SB. Wien, lix. pt. 1, p. 177 (1869); Gray, Cat. Rum. B. M. p. 36 (1872); id. Hand-1. Rum. B. M. p. 104 (1873); Sclater, P. Z. S. 1873, p. 604; Brehm, Thierl. iii. p. 231 (1880); Sclater, in Wolf’s Zool. Sketches, i. pl. xxiii. (1861), ii. pl. xix. (1868); id. List Anim. Z. S. (8) p. 138 (1883), (9) p. 158 (1896); Flow. & Gars. Cat. Coll. Surg. ii. p. 261 (1884); Jent. Cat. Ost. Leyd. Mus. (Mus. Pays-Bas, ix.) p. 135 (1887); W. Sclater, Cat. Mamm. Calc. Mus. ii. p. 156 (1891); Flow. & Lyd. Mamm. p. 344 (1891); Ward, Horn Meas. (1) p. 148 (1892), (2) p. 188 (1896); Mockler-Ferryman, Up the Niger, p. 50 (1892) (Lokoja, Niger); Jent. Cat. Mamm. Leyd. Mus. (Mus. Pays-Bas, xi.) p. 166 (1892); Lyd. Horns and Hoofs, p. 249 (1893); Matsch. SB. nat. Freund. 1893, p. 104; Pousargues, Ann. Sci. Nat. (7) iv. p. 131 (1896); Johnston, P. Z. S. 1898, p. 352; Trouessart, Cat. Mamm. fasc. iv. p. 955 (1898).

Antilope ensicornis, Hempr. et Ehr. Symb. Phys. i. p. i (sub Ant. leucoryge) (1832); Wagner, Schr. Säug. Suppl. iv. p. 479 (1844), v. p. 437 (1855) (var. β nubica and var. γ senegalensis).

Oryx ensicornis, Heugl. Ant. u. Buff. N.O.-Afr. (N. Act. Leop. xxx. pt. 2) p. 17 (1863); id. N.O.-Afr. ii. p. 113 (1877).

Antilope (Oryx) bezoastica, H. Smith, Griff. An. K. iv. p. 191, v. p. 327 (1827). Oryx bezoarticus, Fitz. SB. Wien, lix. pt. 1, p. 178 (1869).

Vernacular Names:—Toa or Tao of the Hebrews and Egyptians (Hamilton Smith); Abu-harb, of Sennaar and Kordofan Arabs (Licht.); Wahsch el Baqer and Baqer el Wádi of the Arabs (Heuglin); Lymbe and Aschamel of the Tuaregs (Barth.).

Height at withers about 40 inches. Prevailing colour of the sides of the body yellowish or reddish white, often more or less dappled with blotches of pale brown; neck and shoulders above the base of the leg ruddy brown, this colour extending from the withers along the back and becoming diffused over the rump, thighs, and base of the tail. Head whitish, with a greyish-brown patch on the nose and on the forehead, the two united by an ill-defined brownish stripe; a stripe of the same hue extending a short distance above the eye and below it on to the middle of the cheek; the hinder part of the cheek of the same reddish-brown colour as the neck; ears dirty white, the tips and rims not darkened. No distinct dark stripe along the throat, no dark stripe along the middle of the back and nape of the neck, and only a faint longitudinal stripe on each side between the flanks and belly; mane of neck brown. Legs whitish in tint, clouded in front with brown, which spreads downwards from the shoulders and thighs. Hairs along the spine reversed from rump.

Horns long, with a bold crescentic backward curvature; attaining a length of nearly 40 inches.