These are small animals of slender frame; bovine muzzle; of sandy colour above and white underneath; small annulated horns, curved gracefully backwards, and in some species so elegantly formed as to take the shape of a lyre on looking at them full in front. The females of some have smaller, smoother horns, but others are hornless. The skull has an anteorbital vacuity, with a small anteorbital fossa. The auditory bullæ are large; "eye-pits small; groin-pits distinct; large feet-pits in all feet; knees tufted" (Jerdon). The face has a white band running from the outer side of the base of each horn down to the muzzle, the space between forming a dark triangular patch bordered with a deeper tint. Sir Victor Brooke classifies the twenty or so known species as follows:—
I.—BACK UNSTRIPED.
Dentition:—Inc. 0/3; can. 0/1; prem. 3/3; molars, 3/3.
A.—The white colour of the rump not encroaching on the fawn of the haunches.
a. BOTH SEXES WITH HORNS.
Horns lyrate or semi-lyrate: Gazella dorcas; G. Isabella; G. rufifrons; G. loevipes; G. melanura.
Horns non-lyrate: Gazella Cuvieri; G. leptoceros; G. Spekii; G. Arabica; G. Bennetti; G. fuscifrons.
b. FEMALES HORNLESS.
Gazella subgutterosa; G. gutterosa; G. picticaudata.
B.—White of rump projecting forwards in an angle into the fawn colour of the haunches.
Gazella dama; G. mohr; G. Soemmerringii; G. Granti.