Gazelles are some of the most slenderly built of all antelopes.
Of far less graceful appearance than the two preceding species is the Saiga, which, though structurally closely allied to the gazelles, has been placed by naturalists in a genus by itself.
This curious-looking animal, which is chiefly remarkable for its large swollen-looking nose and light-coloured horns, is an inhabitant of the steppes of South-eastern Europe and Western Asia. In height it stands about 30 inches at the withers, and is of a dull yellowish colour in summer, turning to nearly white in winter. The males alone carry horns, which are sometimes 13 or 14 inches long, and of a peculiar colour which has been likened to pale amber.
At the present day the saiga is only found in Europe on the plains between the Don and the Volga, but to the east of the Ural River its range extends over the Kirghiz Steppes and the high plains of all Western Siberia. Living in open country, and having the senses of hearing, sight, and scent all highly developed, the saiga is a difficult animal to approach, and can only be successfully stalked by an expert hunter. In summer it is usually met with in small, scattered bands, which, when driven southwards by snow and cold, are collected into considerable herds in the more southerly portions of its range. In very severe winters whole herds have been known to perish in snow-drifts, and in such inclement seasons large numbers are also killed by the natives. The flesh of the saiga is said to resemble mutton, and is held in much esteem.
By permission of Herr Carl Hugenbeck] [Hamburg.
GOITRED GAZELLES FROM MESOPOTAMIA.
These animals are inhabitants of rocky and desert ground. They are often kept tame by the wandering Arabs.
The Gazelles.
We now come to the Gazelles, among which are comprised many of the best known and most beautiful of the small or medium-sized antelopes. In the true gazelles both sexes generally carry horns. Indeed, this rule is universal in those of Africa and Arabia; and there are only four species known—all Asiatic—in which the females are hornless: viz. the Tibetan Gazelle, Prejevalski's Gazelle, the Mongolian Gazelle, and the Persian Gazelle.