THE
BOOK OF ANTELOPES.

BY

PHILIP LUTLEY SCLATER, M.A., Ph.D., F.R.S.,

SECRETARY TO THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON,

AND

OLDFIELD THOMAS, F.Z.S., F.R.G.S.,

ASSISTANT IN THE ZOOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM.

IN FOUR VOLUMES (1894–1900).

VOL. I.

LONDON:
R. H. PORTER, 7 PRINCES STREET, CAVENDISH SQUARE, W.
1894–1900.

ALERE FLAMMAM.

PRINTED BY TAYLOR AND FRANCIS,
RED LION COURT, FLEET STREET.

Dedicated

TO

THE MEMORY

OF

Sir VICTOR ALEXANDER BROOKE, Bart.,

NATURALIST AND SPORTSMAN

(Born 5th January, 1843, died 27th November, 1891),

BY

HIS FRIENDS AND FELLOW-WORKERS,

THE AUTHORS.

PREFACE.

A short Introduction, stating the general plan of this work, was given in the first number of ‘The Book of Antelopes,’ published in August 1894. On completing the work by the issue of the last Part it has been determined by the Authors to explain its origin and object a little more fully, and this portion of the task has been intrusted to me.

It should be quite understood, in the first place, that, as has been stated in the Introduction, the original conception of the work is due to the genius and energy of the late Sir Victor Brooke, under whose supervision the greater number of the plates and other illustrations were prepared, and I need hardly say that it is greatly regretted by the authors that Sir Victor did not live to carry out his plan. Sir Victor was elected a Fellow of the Zoological Society of London in 1864, at which time I knew him only as an ardent sportsman, much attached to Natural History. Some time in the year 1870, I think it was, he called upon me at my office, and stated that he had been attending Sir William (then Professor) Flower’s lectures at the College of Surgeons, and had quite determined to commence serious work in Natural History, being deeply interested in that subject. After talking over the matter with him for some time it was suggested that the Ruminant Mammals, with many of which Sir Victor as a sportsman was well acquainted, offered an excellent subject for work, and I promised that I would take every opportunity that fell in my way of putting at his disposal specimens of this class. I was, of course, delighted at getting a recruit for Natural History of such energy and ability. I may mention here that amongst other questions which I asked him at this interview was whether he knew German, as without a knowledge of that language it would be impossible for anyone in these days to do good work in Natural Science. Sir Victor in reply regretted his ignorance of this language, but stated that he should set to work and learn it at once. A few months afterwards I found to my surprise that he had kept his word, and was already able to translate passages in the German authorities to which he had occasion to refer. I may add that I have given the same advice more than once to other would-be students of Natural History, but that I never recollect it having been followed with such immediate and successful results.

From my position at the Zoological Society and from the aid received from numerous correspondents in all parts of the world, I had little difficulty from the first in providing my much-esteemed friend with materials for his studies, and in the beginning of 1871 had the pleasure of putting at his disposal some notes and materials concerning the Antelopes of the genus Tragelaphus. Upon these was based the excellent paper on that genus read by Sir Victor before the Zoological Society on the 16th of May of that year, the first of a series of essays on this and kindred subjects. Four similar papers, as will be seen by reference to the Zoological Society’s ‘Proceedings,’ followed in 1872, three in 1874, and others in succeeding years, until 1878, when, I regret to say, they came to an abrupt conclusion. The last of the series was one of an extremely useful and important character, containing, as it did, a complete essay on the classification of the Deer-family and a synopsis of the existing species, which, until recently, has remained our leading authority upon this difficult group of Mammals. During the whole of this time also Sir Victor had been engaged in collecting specimens, and in having drawings made by Wolf and put upon the stone by Smit, for a complete work on the Bovine animals which he had planned out and proposed to write. After 1878, however, other matters intervened and sadly interfered with my friend’s studies in Natural History. Sir Victor changed his habitual residence to Pau, and though I now saw him occasionally in London on his way from France to his home in Ireland, I could never induce him to continue his former researches, although he always assured me that he was still devoted to Natural Science and was determined to return to it eventually. Circumstances, however, prevented him from carrying his wishes into effect. In November 1891, when still in the prime of life, Sir Victor died, leaving his great work still unfinished, and represented mainly by a series of over a hundred lithographic plates, which, as already mentioned in the Introduction, have formed the basis of the present work. The MSS. which were also kindly placed at my disposal by the family, not having been touched for nearly fifteen years, were in such an incomplete state that it was impossible to utilize them. Upon pointing out this to his son, the present Sir Douglas Brooke, he was good enough to assure me that his only wish was that the best possible use for Science should be made of the whole of the materials accumulated by his father. Acting upon this understanding I undertook to prepare the letterpress of an entirely new work on the Antelopes, using such of Sir Victor’s plates as I could employ for its illustration.

Such was the origin of the present work, now happily brought to a close after a period of six years, during which it has occupied no unimportant part of my leisure time. Even so it would not have been possible for me to have accomplished it without the able assistance of my excellent friend Mr. Oldfield Thomas, of the British Museum. It was, of course, of the greatest advantage to the work that Thomas was already familiarly acquainted with the subject, and had, moreover, under his charge the unrivalled series of specimens of Mammals contained in our National Collection.

Although Thomas and I consider ourselves, of course, jointly responsible for all the statements in this work, every line of which has undergone the supervision of both authors, I may state that Thomas’s chief part of the task was, as agreed between us, to be the synonymy and scientific descriptions, and my speciality the preparation of the ordinary letterpress. I must also not omit to mention that as regards the much-vexed subject of Zoological Nomenclature my friend and I are not in perfect accord, as he takes a more severe view of the rule of priority than I am disposed to adopt. There has, therefore, been necessarily a little “give and take” on each side as to the names to be adopted in this work. For these latter, in so far as they may be held to contravene the strict laws of nomenclature, Thomas desires to disclaim—as I am willing to accept—all responsibility. It should also be mentioned that during the issue of the last volume Thomas’s somewhat serious illness and consequent absence from his post in London has compelled him to relegate some of his share in the present work to Mr. R. I. Pocock, of the British Museum, who, I need hardly say, has most efficiently assisted me in finishing the task and to whom I hereby tender my most sincere thanks.

I must also not forget to record the names of other friends and correspondents who have materially assisted us in the preparation of the ‘Book of Antelopes.’ Amongst these I must specially mention Herr Matschie, of the Natural History Museum of Berlin, who has kindly furnished many notes on the collection of Mammals under his charge in that Institution; nor must I forget the names of Mr. F. C. Selous, Herr Oscar Neumann, Mr. S. L. Hinde, Mr. F. V. Kirby, Capt. H. G. C. Swayne, Mr. Ernest Gedge, Sir Harry Johnston, K.C.B., Mr. R. Crawshay, Mr. Alfred Sharpe, Sir John Kirk, Mr. F. E. Blaauw, Mr. F. J. Jackson, Major F. C. Trollope, Dr. E. Büchner, Mr. E. Buxton, Mr. J. I. S. Whitaker, Sir Edmund Loder, Mr. A. E. Pease, Mr. Lort Phillips, Mr. T. W. H. Clarke, Mr. J. ffolliott Darling, Mr. John Millais, Mr. W. E. de Winton, and my son Mr. W. L. Sclater, Director of the South African Museum, Capetown, to all of whom, on behalf of Thomas and myself, I wish to tender our most heartfelt thanks for their kind assistance.

Finally, I may mention that this work has been issued in parts at the following dates:—

Part I.		Bubalidinæ	Aug.	1894
II.		„	Jan.	1895
III.		Cephalophinæ	May	1895
IV.		„	Sept.	1895
V.		Neotraginæ	Jan.	1896
VI.		Cervicaprinæ	Aug.	1896
VII.		„	Jan.	1897
VIII.		„	Mar.	1897
IX.		Antilopinæ	Aug.	1897
X.		„	Feb.	1898
XI.		„	June	1898
XII.		„	Oct.	1898
XIII.		Hippotraginæ	Feb.	1899
XIV.		„	May	1899
XV.		Tragelaphinæ	Jan.	1900
XVI.
XVII		„	Aug.	1900

The date attached to the letterpress at the end of each article is, as nearly as possible, that at which it was finished and corrected for the press.

P. L. S.

3 Hanover Square, London, W.

June 1st, 1900.

CONTENTS.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

IN THE TEXT.

VOL. I.
		Page
1a, 1b. Horns of Bubalis major		[12]
1c, 1d. Horns and skull of Bubalis major		[13]
2. Head of Bubalis tora		[18]
3. Skull of Bubalis swaynei		[24]
4a. Horns of Bubalis cokei, front view		[28]
4b. Horns of Bubalis cokei, side view		[29]
4c. Horns of Bubalis cokei, front view		[30]
5. Front view of head of Jackson’s Hartebeest		[43]
6a. Skull of Bubalis lichtensteini, ♂		[49]
6b. Skull of Bubalis lichtensteini, ♀		[50]
7a. Head of Damaliscus hunteri		[54]
7b. Skull and horns of Damaliscus hunteri, ♂ ad.		[55]
7c. Skull and horns of Damaliscus hunteri, ♀ ad.		[55]
8. Skull of Damaliscus tiang, ♀		[64]
9. Skull of Damaliscus jimela, from Lamu		[69]
9a. Head of Damaliscus jimela, from Malindi		[69]
10. Damaliscus pygargus		[77]
11. Damaliscus albifrons		[82]
12. Head of supposed hybrid between Damaliscus lunatus and Bubalis caama		[90]
13. Adult Brindled Gnu		[98]
14. Skull of Connochætes albojubatus, ♂		[106]
15. Young White-tailed Gnu (five months old)		[115]
15a. Young White-tailed Gnu (eight months old)		[116]
15b. Horns of young Gnu (11 weeks old)		[118]
15c. Horns of young Gnu (19 months old)		[118]
16. Skull of Cephalophus sylvicultrix, ad.		[128]
16a. Skull of Cephalophus sylvicultrix, jr.		[129]
17. Head of Harvey’s Duiker		[146]
18. Skull of Cephalophus nigrifrons		[150]
19. Skull of Cephalophus rufilatus, jr.		[169]
20. Skull of Cephalophus maxwelli		[182]
21. Skull of Cephalophus coronatus		[196]
22. Skull of Cephalophus grimmi		[207]
VOL. II.
23. Ourebia scoparia, ♂		17
24. Skull of Ourebia haggardi, ♂		30
25. Skull of Nesotragus livingstonianus, ♂		57
26. Skull of Nesotragus pygmæus, ♂		64
27. Skull of Madoqua phillipsi		77
28. Fore part of skull of Madoqua damarensis, side view		80
28a. Upper view of snout of M. damarensis
28b. Lower view of snout of M. damarensis
28c. Lower view of snout of M. saltiana
28d. Posterior mandibulary molar of M. saltiana
28e. Posterior mandibulary molar of M. damarensis
29. Head of Madoqua kirki		84
29a. Skull of Madoqua kirki (side view)		85
29b. Skull of Madoqua kirki (upper view)		85
30. Skull of Madoqua guentheri (side view)		90
30a. Skull of Maduqua guentheri (from above)		90
31. Skull and horns of Cobus crawshayi		110
32. Head and foot of “Nsumma Antelope”		117
33. Head of Cobus maria, ♂		123
34. Head of Cobus thomasi, ♂		135
35. Horns of Cobus vardoni.—a. Side view; b. Front view		143
36. Head of Cobus lechee		151
37. Horns of Cervicapra arundinum from Nyasaland		163
38. Skull of Cervicapra fulvorufula		168
39. Skull of Cervicapra bohor		169
40. Head of Cervicapra redunca		174
41. Horns of Cervicapra fulvorufula, not adult		181
42. Horns of Cervicapra fulvorufula, aged		181
43. Head of Cervicapra chanleri		184
44. Head of Vaal Rhébok, ♂		193
VOL. III.
45. Horns of Black-buck, ♂		13
46. Abnormal horns of female Indian Antelope		14
47. Head of Pallah, ♂, front view		23
48. Front view of head of Angolan Pallah		26
49. Group of Saigas		35
50. Frontlet and horns of Saiga (fossil), ♂		39
51. Head of male Saiga in its winter dress		40
52. Horns of Chiru		48
53. Horns of Springbuck, ♂ & ♀		61
54. Skull and horns of the Tibetan Gazelle		73
55. Goa Antelopes on the Donkia Pass		74
56. Skull and horns of Mongolian Gazelle		87
57. Head of Dorcas Gazelle, ♂		108
58. Head of Edmi Gazelle, ♂		113
59. Front view of head of Edmi Gazelle, ♀		114
60. Head of Arabian Gazelle		117
61. Head of Gazella fuscifrons, ♀		123
62. Head of adult male Speke’s Gazelle		128
63. Head of adult female Speke’s Gazelle		129
64. Head of young male Speke’s Gazelle		131
65. Head of Pelzeln’s Gazelle, ♂		135
65 a. Skull of Pelzeln’s Gazelle, ♀		135
66. Diagram of horns of Rhime (a) and Admi (b)		143
67. Front view of head of a female Loder’s Gazelle		147
68. Skull of Gazella leptoceros loderi, ♂		148
69, 69 a. Heads of Isabella Gazelle, ♂ & ♀		154
70, 70 a. Heads of Muscat Gazelle, ♂ & ♀		156
71, 72. Heads of Heuglin’s Gazelle, ♂ & ♀		160
73. Skull of Rufous Gazelle		168
74. Horns of Thomson’s Gazelle, ♂		172
75. Front view of head of Thomson’s Gazelle, ♀		174
76. Grant’s Gazelle, Ugogo		181
77, 78. Heads of Grant’s Gazelle, ♂ & ♀		182
79. Skull and horns of Peters’s Gazelle, ♂		188
80. Skin of the Banded Gazelle		192
81. Skull and horns of Gazella soemmerringi typica (male)		197
82 a, 82 b. Skull and horns of Gazella soemmerringi berberana, ♂ & ♀		198
83. Head of the Dibatag		222
84. Map of Somaliland (showing the localities of the Dibatag)		225
85. Skull of the Gerenuk		231
86. Sketch of Gerenuk, ♂ & ♀, in characteristic attitudes		232
87. Front view of the head of the Beira		245
VOL. IV.
88. Frontlet of the Blue-buck		11
89. Horns of Baker’s Roan Antelope		25
90. Head of Roan Antelope		29
91. Head of Sable Antelope		38
92. A Leucoryx attacked by a Lion		48
93. Young Leucoryx		49
94. Female Beisa		70
95. Horns of male Addax		83
96. Horns of female Addax		83
97. Head of a female Addax		85
98. Skull and horns of an adult male Nilgai		100
99. Frontlet of an adult male Nilgai		101
100. Skull and horns of Cumming’s Bushbuck		126
101. Frontlet of Cumming’s Bushbuck		127
102. Delamere’s Bushbuck		130
103. The Bongo Antelope		134
104. Head and horns of the Broad-horned Antelope		135
105. Head and horns of Angas’ Antelope		140
106. Angas’ Antelope, ♂ & ♀		146
107. Horns of Tragelaphus sp. inc.		147
108. Speke’s Sitatunga in a Papyrus-swamp		153
109. Horns and feet of Speke’s Sitatunga		154
110. Speke’s Sitatunga, ♂ & ♀		156
111. Outer view of right foot of Selous’s Sitatunga, ⅓ nat. size		158
112. Horns of Congan Sitatunga		167
113. Head of Congan Sitatunga, from the specimen in the British Museum		169
114. Male and female Kudu		183
115. Horns of Lesser and Greater Kudus		188
116. Skull and horns of Livingstone’s Eland, ♂		205
117. Horns of Taurotragus oryx gigas		208
118. Abnormal horns of female Eland		209
119. Herd of Derbian Elands		218
120. Horns of Derbian Eland		219
121. Front view of the horns of the Derbian Eland		221

ALPHABETICAL LIST

OF THE

ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THE REFERENCES TO LITERATURE, AND EXPLANATIONS OF THEM[1].

Abh. Ak. Berl.—Abhandlungen der königlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin. 4to. Berlin.

Act. Ac. Imp. Sc. Petrop.—Acta Academiæ Scientiarum Imperialis Petropolitanæ. 4to. Petropoli.

Act. Holm.—Kongl. Vetenskaps-Akademiens nya Handlingar. I. 8vo. Stockholm, 1780.

Acta Acad. Theod. Palat.—Acta Academiæ Electoralis Theodoro-Palatinæ. 4to. Mannhemii.

Allamand.—See Schneider’s edition of Buffon.

Andersson, Lake Ngami.—Lake Ngami; or, Explorations and Discoveries during four Years’ Wanderings in the Wilds of South-western Africa. By C. J. Andersson. 8vo. London, 1856.

Angas, Kaffirs Illustrated.—Kaffirs Illustrated in a Series of Drawings taken among the Amazulu, Amaponda, and Amakosa Tribes. By G. F. Angas. Folio. London, 1849.

Ann. Mag. N. H.—The Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 8vo. London.

Ann. Mus. Genov.—Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Genova. 8vo. Genoa.

Ann. Mus. Wien.—Annalen des k.-k. naturhistorischen Hofmuseums, Wien. 4to. Wien.

Ann. Sci. Nat.—Annales des Sciences Naturelles. Zoologie. 8vo. Paris.

Arch. f. Nat.—Archiv für Naturgeschichte, gegründet von A. F. A. Wiegmann. 8vo. Berlin.

Badm. Libr. Big Game Shooting.—The Badmington Library. Big Game Shooting. By Clive Phillipps-Wolley. 2 vols. 8vo. London, 1894.

Baines, Expl. S.W. Afr.—Explorations in South-west Africa. By T. Baines. 8vo. London, 1864.

Baker, Ismaïlia.—Ismaïlia; a Narrative of the Expedition to Central Africa for the Suppression of the Slave Trade. By Sir Samuel W. Baker, Pacha, M.A., &c. 2 vols. 8vo. London, 1874.

Baker, Nile Tributaries.—The Nile Tributaries of Abyssinia, and the Sword Hunters of the Hamran Arabs. By Sir Samuel W. Baker, M.A. 8vo. London, 1867.

Baldwin, Afr. Hunt.—African Hunting and Adventure from Natal to the Zambesi. By W. C. Baldwin. 8vo. London, 1854.

Barth, Reise.—Reisen und Entdeckungen in Nord-und Central-Afrika in den Jahren 1849 bis 1855. Von Dr. Heinrich Barth. 8vo. Gotha, 1857.

Bechst. Allgem. Uebers. vierf. Thiere, or Bechst. Syst. Uebers. vierf. Th.—Thomas Pennant’s Allgemeine Uebersicht der vierfüssigen Thiere. Aus dem Englischen übersetzt von J. M. Bechstein. 2 vols. 4to. Weimar, 1799–1800.

Bennett, Gard. & Menag. Z. S.—Gardens and Menagerie of the Zoological Society delineated. 2 vols. 8vo. Chiswick, 1830.

Blanf. E. Persia.—Eastern Persia: an Account of the Journeys of the Persian Boundary Commission, 1870–72. Vol. II. Zoology and Geology. By W. T. Blanford. 8vo. London, 1876.

Blanf. Mamm. Brit. Ind.—The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma. Mammalia. By W. T. Blanford, F.R.S. 8vo. London, 1888–91.

Blanf. Yark. Miss., Mamm.—Scientific Results of the Second Yarkand Mission; based upon the Collections and Notes of the late Ferdinand Stolickza, Ph.D. Mammalia. By W. T. Blanford. 4to. Calcutta, 1879.

Blanf. Zool. Abyss.—Observations on the Geology and Zoology of Abyssinia. By W. T. Blanford. 8vo. London, 1870.

Blyth, Cat. Mus. As. Soc.—Catalogue of the Mammalia in the Museum Asiatic Society. By Edward Blyth. 8vo. Calcutta. 1863.

Bodd. Elench. Anim.—P. Boddaert, Elenchus Animalium. 8vo. Rotterodami, 1785.

Brehm, Thierl.—Brehm’s Thierleben. Allgemeine Kunde des Thierreichs. Säugethiere. Band III. Royal 8vo. Leipzig, 1880.

Brookes, Cat. Mus.—A Catalogue of the Anatomical and Zoological Museum of Joshua Brookes, Esq. 8vo. London, 1828.

Bryden, Gun and Camera.—Gun and Camera in Southern Africa. By H. Anderson Bryden. 8vo. London, 1893.

Bryden, Kloof and Karroo.—Kloof and Karroo: Sport, Legend, and Natural History in Cape Colony. 8vo. London, 1889.

Buff. Hist. Nat.—Histoire Naturelle, générale et particulière, avec la Description du Cabinet du Roi. Par Comte de Buffon. 44 vols. 4to. Paris, 1749–1804.

——. See also Schneider.

Bull. Soc. Acclim.—Bulletin de la Société Nationale d’Acclimatation de France. 8vo. Paris.

Bull. Soc. Moscou.—Bulletin Société Impériale des Naturalistes de Moscou. 8vo. Moscou.

Bull. Soc. Philom.—Bulletin de la Société Philomathique de Paris. 4to. and 8vo. Paris.

Burch. List Mamm. pres. to B. M.—List of the Mammals presented to the British Museum. By W. J. Burchell. 8vo. London, 1825.

Burchell, Trav.—Travels in the Interior of Southern Africa. By William J. Burchell. 2 vols. 4to. London, 1822–24.

Büttik. Reisebilder, or Büttik. Reiseb. a. Liberia.—Reisebilder aus Liberia. Von J. Büttikofer. 2 vols. 8vo. Leiden, 1890.

Calc. Journ. N. H.—Calcutta Journal of Natural History. 8vo. Calcutta.

Chanler, Through Jungle and Desert.—Through Jungle and Desert, Travels in Eastern Africa. By W. A. Chanler. 8vo. London, 1896.

Chapman, Travels &c.—Travels in the Interior of South Africa. By James Chapman. 2 vols. 8vo. London, 1868.

Cretzschmar, Atl. Rüpp. Reise.—Atlas zu der Reise im nördlichen Afrika von Eduard Rüppell. Säugethiere. Bearbeitet von Ph. J. Cretzschmar. Folio. Frankfurt-am-Main, 1826.

Cumming, Hunter’s Life in S. Afr.—Five Years of a Hunter’s Life in the far Interior of South Africa. By R. Gordon Cumming. 2 vols. 8vo. London, 1850.

Cuv. An. K.—See Griff. Cuv. An. K.

F. Cuv. H. N. Mamm.—Histoire Naturelle des Mammifères, avec des figures originales, coloriées, dessinées d’après des Animaux vivants; ouvrage publié sous l’autorité de l’Administration du Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle. Par Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire et Frédéric Cuvier. Folio. Paris.

G. Cuv. R. A.—Le Règne Animal. Par M. le Ch^er. Cuvier. 4 vols. 8vo. Paris, 1817.

——.——. 8vo. Paris, 1836–46. (Masson & Co.)

G. Cuv. Tabl. Élém.—Tableau élémentaire de l’Histoire Naturelle des Animaux. 8vo. Paris, 1798.

Daniell, African Scenery.—African Scenery, being Illustrations of the Animals and Native Inhabitants in Southern Africa. By Samuel Daniell. Folio. London, 1804–8.

Daniell, Afr. Sketch.—Sketches representing the Native Tribes, Animals, and Scenery of Southern Africa, from Drawings made by the late Mr. Samuel Daniell, engraved by William Daniell. 4to. London, 1820.

De Fil. Viagg. in Persia.—Note di un Viaggio in Persia nel 1862. Di F. de Filippi. 8vo. Milano, 1865.

Démidoff, Voy. Russ. Mérid.—Voyage dans la Russie Méridionale et la Crimée. Exécuté en 1837, sous la Direction de M. Anatole de Démidoff. Tome III. 8vo. Paris, 1840.

Denh. & Clapp. Trav.—Narrative of Travels and Discoveries in Northern and Central Africa in the Years 1822–24. By Major Denham, Captain Clapperton, and the late Doctor Oudney; with an Appendix by Major Dixon Denham and Captain Hugh Clapperton. 4to. London, 1826.

Desm. Mamm.—Mammalogie, ou Description des Espèces de Mammifères, par M. A. G. Desmarest. 2 parts in 1 vol. 4to. Paris, 1820–22.

Dict. Class.—Dictionnaire Classique d’Histoire Naturelle. 8vo. Paris, 1822–30.

Dict. Sci. Nat.—Dictionnaire des Sciences Naturelles. 8vo. Paris, 1816–30.

Dict. Univ. d’H. N.—Dictionnaire Universel d’Histoire Naturelle. Dirigé par M. Charles d’Orbigny. Text 13 vols., Atlas 3 vols. 8vo. Paris, 1847–49.

Distant, Transvaal.—A Naturalist in the Transvaal. By W. L. Distant. 8vo. London, 1892.

Donnd. Zool. Beytr.—Zoologische Beyträge zur xiii. Ausgabe des Linnéischen Natursystems. By Johann August Donndorff. 4 vols. 8vo. Leipzig, 1792–98.

Drummond, Large Game S. Afr.—The Large Game and Natural History of South and South-east Africa. From the Journals of the Hon. W. H. Drummond. 8vo. Edinburgh, 1875.

Du Chaill. Expl. & Adv. Equat. Afr.—Explorations and Adventures in Equatorial Africa. By Paul B. Du Chaillu. 8vo. London, 1861.

Echo du Monde Savant.—L’Echo du Monde Savant. 4to. Paris.

Edinb. Journ. Sc.—Edinburgh Journal of Science. 8vo. Edinburgh.

Ehrenb. Symb. Phys.—Symbolæ Physicæ, seu Icones et Descriptiones corporum naturalium novorum aut minus cognitorum quæ ex itineribus per Libyam, Ægyptum, Nubiam, Dongalam, Syriam, Arabiam et Habessiniam. Publico Institutis sumptu F. G. Hemprich et C. G. Ehrenberg. Folio. Berolini, 1828.

Eichwald, Faun. Caspio-Caucas.—Fauna Caspio-Caucasia. Von E. Eichwald. 4to. Petropoli, 1841.

Elliot, Publ. Chicago Mus., Zool.—Field Columbian Museum. Publications. Zoological Series. 8vo. Chicago, U.S.A.

Emin, Reise-Briefen.—Emin Pasha in Central Africa, being a Collection of his Letters and Journal. Edited and annotated by Prof. G. Schweinfurth, Prof. F. Ratzel, Dr. R. W. Felkin, and Dr. G. Hartlaub. Translated by Mrs. R. W. Felkin. 8vo. London, 1888.

Erxl. Syst. R. A.—Christ. Polyc. Erxleben Systema Regni Animalis per Classes, Ordines, Genera, Species, &c. Classis I. Mammalia. 8vo. Lipsiæ, 1777.

“Field.”—Field, the Farm, the Garden; the Country Gentleman’s Newspaper. Folio. London, 1853–1900.

Fisch. Zoogn.—Zoognosia tabulis synopticis illustrata, etc. Auctore Gotthelp Fischer. 3 vols. Mosquæ, 1813–14.

Fisch. Syn. Mamm.—Synopsis Mammalium. Auctore Johanne Baptista Fischer. 8vo. Stuttgardtiæ, 1729.

Flow. & Gars. Cat. Ost. Coll. Surg.—Catalogue of the Specimens illustrating the Osteology and Dentition of Vertebrated Animals recent and extinct, contained in the Museum of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. Part II. Mammalia. By W. H. Flower, LL.D., assisted by J. G. Garson, M.D. 8vo. London, 1884.

Flow. & Lyd. Mamm.—An Introduction to the Study of Mammals living and extinct. By W. H. Flower, C.B., and Richard Lydekker, B.A. 8vo. London, 1891.

Forst. Descr. Anim.—Descriptiones Animalium quæ in itinere ad Maris Australis Terras per Annos 1772–74. Collegit, Observavit et Delineavit J. R. Forster. Curante Henrico Lichtenstein. 8vo. Berolini, 1844.

Forst. Zool. Ind.—Indische Zoologie oder systematische Beschreibungen seltener und unbekannter Thiere aus Indien. Herausgegeben von J. R. Forster. Folio. Halle, 1781.

Fraser, Zool. Typ.—Zoologia Typica, or Figures of new or rare Mammals and Birds described in the Proceedings or exhibited in the Collections of the Zoological Society of London. By Louis Fraser. Folio. London, 1849.

Gatt. Brev. Zool.—Breviarum Zoologiæ. Pars I. Mammalia. Auctore C. W. J. Gatterer. 8vo. Gottingæ, 1780.

I. Geoffr. St.-Hil. Voy. Jacq. Mamm.—Voyage dans l’Inde, par Victor Jacquemont, pendant les Années 1828 à 1832. Tome IV. Mammifères, par I. Geoff. Saint-Hilaire. Folio. Paris, 1844.

Gerrard, Cat. Bones Mamm. B. M.—Catalogue of the Bones of Mammalia in the British Museum. By Edward Gerrard. 8vo. London, 1862.

Gerv. Hist. Nat. Mamm.—Histoire Naturelle des Mammifères. Par Paul Gervais. 2 vols. 4to. Paris, 1854–55.

Gesner, Hist. Anim. Quadr.—Conradi Gesneri medici Tigurini, Historiæ Animalium. Liber I. de Quadrupedibus viviparis. Editio secunda. Folio. Francofurti ad M., 1620.

Ghika, Au Pays des Somalis.—Cinq Mois au Pays des Somalis. Par Prince N. D. Ghika. 8vo. Gèneve et Bâle, 1898.

Gieb. Säug.—Die Säugethiere in zoologischer, anatomischer und palæontologischer Beziehung, umfassend dargestellt von Dr. C. G. Giebel. 8vo. Leipzig, 1859.

Glean. in Sc.—Gleanings in Science. 3 vols. 8vo. Calcutta, 1829–31.

Glog. Naturg.—Gemeinnütziges Hand-und Hilfsbuch der Naturgeschichte. Von Dr. C. W. L. Gloger. 8vo. Breslau, 1841.

Gm. S. N.—Caroli a Linné Systema Naturæ. Cura Jo. Frid. Gmelin. Vol. I. 8vo. Lipsiæ, 1788.

Gray, Cat. Hodgson Coll., or Cat. Mamm. Nepal, Hodgson Coll.—Catalogue of the Specimens and Drawings of Mammalia and Birds of Nepal and Thibet. Presented by B. H. Hodgson, Esq., to the British Museum. By J. E. Gray. 12mo. London, 1846.

——.——. Second edition. 8vo. London, 1863.

Gray, Cat. Rum. B. M.—Catalogue of Ruminant Mammalia (Pecora, Linnæus) in the British Museum. By J. E. Gray. 8vo. London, 1872.

Gray, Cat. Ung. B. M.—Catalogue of the Specimens of Mammalia in the Collection of the British Museum. Part III. Ungulata Furcipeda. By J. E. Gray. 12mo. London, 1852.

Gray, Hand-l. Rum.—Hand-list of the Edentate, Thick-skinned, and Ruminant Mammals in the British Museum. By Dr. J. E. Gray. 8vo. London, 1873.

Gray, List Mamm. B. M.—List of the Specimens of Mammalia in the Collection of the British Museum. By J. E. Gray. 12mo. London, 1843.

Gray, List Ost. B. M.—List of the Osteological Specimens in the Collection of the British Museum. By J. E. Gray. 12mo. London, 1847.

Gray, Med. Repos.—Gray in Medical Repository, or Original Essays and Intelligence, relative to Physic, Surgery, Chemistry, and Natural History. 8vo. New York, vol. xv. (1821).

Gray & Hardw. Ill. Ind. Zool.—Illustrations of Indian Zoology, chiefly selected from the Collection of Major-Gen. Hardwicke. By J. E. Gray. 2 vols. Folio. London, 1830–34.

Griff. Cuv. An. K.—The Animal Kingdom, arranged in conformity with its Organization, by the Baron Cuvier; with additional Descriptions of all the Species hitherto named, and of many not before noticed, by Edward Griffith and others. 16 vols. 8vo. London, 1827–34.

Harris, Wild Sports S. Afr.—The Wild Sports of Southern Africa; being a Narrative of a Hunting Expedition from the Cape of Good Hope, through the Territories of the Chief Moselekatse, to the Tropic of Capricorn. By Capt. William Cornwallis Harris. 8vo. London, 1839.

——.——. Fifth edition. Royal 8vo. London, 1852.

Harris, Wild An. S. Afr.—Portraits of the Game and Wild Animals of Southern Africa. By Capt. W. Cornwallis Harris. Folio. London, 1840.

Hempr. & Ehr. Symb. Phys.—Symbolæ Physicæ, seu Icones et Descriptiones corporum naturalium novorum aut minus cognitorum quæ ex itineribus per Libyam, Ægyptum, Nubiam, Dongalam, Syriam, Arabiam et Habessiniam. Publico Institutis sumptu F. G. Hemprich et C. G. Ehrenberg. Folio. Berolini, 1828–45.

Herm. Obs. Zool.—Observationes Zoologicæ. Par Johannes Hermann. 4to. Argentorati, 1804.

Herm. Tabl. Affin. Anim.—Tabula Affinitatum Animalium. Auctore Johannes Hermann. 4to. Argentorati, 1783.

Heude, Mém. Hist. Nat. Chine.—Mémoires concernant l’Histoire Naturelle de l’Empire Chinois. Par P. M. Heude. Vols. I.-III. Imp. 4to. Chang-hai, 1880–97.

Heugl. Ant. u. Buff. N.O.-Afr. (N. Act. Leopold. xxx. pt. 2).—Ueber die Antilopen und Büffel Nordost-Afrika’s. Von Th. V. Heuglin. (Nova Acta kaiserliche Leopoldino-Carolinische deutsche Akademie der Naturforscher, Band xxx. part 2, 1863.)

Heugl. Faun. roth. Meer., Peterm. Mitth.—Th. v. Heuglin’s Forschungen über die Fauna des Rothen Meeres und der Somáli-Küste. (Petermann’s Mittheilungen, 1861, p. 11.)

Heugl. Reise N.O.-Afr.—Reise in Nordost-Afrika. Von Th. Heuglin. 2 vols. 8vo. Braunschweig, 1877.

Heugl. Reise Weiss. Nil.—Reise in das Gebiet des Weissen Nil und seiner westlichen Zuflüsse in den Jahren 1862–64. Von Th. V. Heuglin. 8vo. Leipzig, 1869.

Hooker, Himalayan Journal.—Himalayan Journals; or, Notes of a Naturalist in Bengal, the Sikkim and Nepal Himalayas; the Khasia Mountains, &c. By Joseph Dalton Hooker. 2 vols. 8vo. London, 1854.

Horsf. Cat. Mamm. Mus. E. I. Co., or Cat. Mamm. Ind. Mus.—A. Catalogue of the Mammalia in the Museum of the Hon. East-India Company. By Thomas Horsfield. 8vo. London, 1851.

Hoyos, Aulihan.—Zu den Aulihan. Reise-und Jagderlebnisse in Somâlilande von Ernst Graf Hoyos, Jun. 8vo. Wien, 1895.

Huet, Coll. Mamm. Mus. d’Hist. Nat.—Collection des Mammifères du Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle, classée suivant la méthode de Cuvier; dessinée d’après nature par Huet. 4to. Paris, 1808.

Humboldt.—Humboldt: Monatschrift für die gesamten Naturwissenschaften. Stuttgart.

Ill. Prodr. Syst. Mamm.—Caroli Illigeri Prodromus systematis Mammalium et Avium. 8vo. Berolini, 1811.

“Isis.”—See Oken’s Isis.

J. A. S. B.—Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. 8vo. Calcutta.

J. R. G. S.—Journal of Royal Geographical Society. 8vo. London.

J. Sci. Lisb.—Jornal de Sciencias Mathematicas, Physicas e Naturaes.—Publicado sob os auspicios da Academia Real das Sciencias de Lisboa. 8vo. Lisboa.

Jackson, in Badm. Libr. Big Game Shooting.—The Badminton Library. Big Game Shooting. By Clive Phillipps-Wolley.

JB. Mus. Hamb.—Jahrbuch der wissenschaftlichen Anstalten zu Hamburg. 8vo. Hamburg.

James, Unknown Horn of Afr.—The Unknown Horn of Africa. An Exploration from Berbera to the Leopard River. By F. L. James, M.A. 8vo. London, 1888.

Jard. Nat. Libr., or Jard. Nat. Misc.—The Naturalist’s Library. Mammalia. Ruminantia by Sir William Jardine, Bart. 8vo. Edinburgh.

Jent. Cat. Ost. Leyd. Mus. (Mus. Pays-Bas, ix.).—Catalogue Ostéologique des Mammifères. Par F. A. Jentink. (Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle des Pays-Bas, tome ix. 1887.)

Jent. Cat. Mamm. Leyd. Mus. (Mus. Pays-Bas, xi.).—Catalogue Systématique des Mammifères. Par F. A. Jentink. (Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle des Pays-Bas, tome xi. 1892.)

Jerd. Mamm. Ind.—The Mammals of India; a Natural History of all the Animals known to inhabit Continental India. By T. C. Jerdon. 8vo. Roorkee, 1867.

Johnst. Brit. Centr. Afr.—British Central Africa, an Attempt to give some Account of a Portion of the Territories under British Influence north of the Zambezi. By Sir H. H. Johnston, K.C.B. 8vo. London, 1897.

Johnston, Kilimanjaro.—The Kilima-Njaro Expedition. A Record of Scientific Exploration in Eastern Equatorial Africa. By H. H. Johnston, F.Z.S., F.R.G.S. 8vo. London, 1886.

Johnst. River Congo.—The River Congo, from its Mouth to Bólóbó. By H. H. Johnston, F.Z.S. 8vo. London, 1884.

Journ. Bombay N. H. Soc.—The Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 8vo. Bombay.

Journ. Phys.—Journal de Physique. 4to. Paris.

Junker, Travels in Afr.—Travels in Africa during the Years 1882–86. By Dr. Wilhelm Junker. Translated from the German by A. H. Keane, F.R.G.S. Vol. III. 8vo. London, 1892.

K. Vet.-Ak. Hand-l.—Kongliga Vetenskaps-Akademiens Handlingar, Stockholm. 8vo. Stockholm.

Kerr, Linn. An. K.—The Animal Kingdom, or Zoological System of the celebrated Sir Charles Linnæus. Together with numerous additions from more recent Zoological writers, and illustrated with copperplates. By Robert Kerr. 4to. London, 1792.

Kinloch, Large Game Shooting.—Large Game Shooting in Thibet and the North West. By Alexander A. A. Kinloch, C.M.Z.S. 2nd series. 4to. London, 1876.

Kirby, Haunts of Wild Game.—In Haunts of Wild Game, a Hunter-Naturalist’s Wanderings from Kahlamba to Libombo. By F. V. Kirby, F.Z.S. 8vo. Edinburgh and London, 1896.

Knowsl. Men.—Gleanings from the Menagerie and Aviary at Knowsley Hall. Hoofed Quadrupeds. Folio. Knowsley, 1850.

Lacépède’s Buffon.—Buffon, Daubenton et Lacépède. Histoire Naturelle, générale et particulière, avec la Description du Cabinet du Roi. 38 vols. 4to. Amsterdam, 1766–99. (Schneider edition.)

Lataste, Mamm. Barb. (Act. Bord. xxix.).—Étude de la Faune des Vertébrés de Barbarie (Algérie, Tunisie et Maroc). Par M. Fernand Lataste. I. Catalogue Provisoire des Mammifères.(Actes de la Société Linnéenne de Bordeaux, xxix. p. 129, 1885.)

Lataste, Mamm. Tunisie.—Exploration Scientifique de la Tunisie. Catalogue critique des Mammifères apélagiques sauvages de la Tunisie. Par Fernand Lataste. 8vo. Paris, 1837.

Lath. & Dav., Faunula Indica.—Faunula Indica, id est Catalogus Animalium Indiæ orientalis ... concinnatus a Joa. Latham et Hug. Davies. Folio. Halæ, 1795.

Layard, Cat. S. Afr. Mus.—Catalogue of the Specimens in the Collection of the South African Museum. Part I. The Mammalia. By E. L. Layard. 12mo. Cape Town, 1861.

Lefebvre’s Voy. Abyss. vi., Zool.—Voyage en Abyssinie exécuté pendant les Années 1839–43, par une Commission scientifique composée de M. Théophile Lefebvre, &c. VI. Zoologie, par O. Des Murs, F. Prévost, Guichenot, et Guérin-Méneville. Text 8vo; Atlas folio. Paris, 1845–50.

Less. H. N. Mamm. (Compl. Buff. x.), or Less. Compl. Buff.—Histoire Naturelle générale et particulière des Mammifères et des Oiseaux découverts depuis la mort de Buffon. Par R.-P. Lesson. Vol. X. 8vo. Paris, 1836.

Less. Man. Mamm.—Manuel de Mammalogie, ou Historie Naturelle des Mammifères. Par. R.-P. Lesson. 12mo. Paris, 1827.

Less. N. Tabl. R. A., Mamm.—Nouveau Tableau du Règne Animal. Par R.-P. Lesson. Mammifères. 8vo. Paris, 1842.

Le Vaill. Voy. à l’Int. de l’Afrique.—Voyage de M. Le Vaillant dans l’Intérieur de l’Afrique par le Cap de Bonne-Espérance dans les Années 1780–85. 4to. Paris, 1790.

Licht. Darst. Säug.—Darstellung neuer oder wenig bekannter Säugethiere in Abbildungen und Beschreibungen von fünf und sechzig Arten auf funfzig colorirten Steindrucktafeln nach den Originalen des zoologischen Museums der Universität zu Berlin. Von Dr. H. Lichtenstein. Folio. Berlin, 1827–34.

Licht. Reise.—Reisen im südlichen Africa in den Jahren 1803–6. Von Heinrich Lichtenstein. 2 vols. 8vo. Berlin, 1811–12.

Link, Beytr. Nat.—Beyträge zur Naturgesch. Band i. Heft 2. Von H. F. Link. 8vo. Rostock, 1795.

Livingstone, Miss. Trav.—Missionary Travels and Researches in South Africa. By David Livingstone. 8vo. London, 1857.

Loche, Cat. Mamm. Algérie.—Catalogue des Mammifères et des Oiseaux observés en Algérie. Par le Capitaine Loche. 8vo. Paris, 1858.

Loche, Expl. Alg. Mamm.—Exploration Scientifique de l’Algérie, pendant les Années 1840–42. Mammiféres. Par le Capitaine Loche. Folio. Paris, 1867.

Lugard, E. Afr., or Lugard, Rise E. Afr. Emp.—The Rise of our East African Empire, early efforts in Nyasaland and Uganda. By Captain F. D. Lugard. 2 vols. 8vo. Edinburgh and London, 1893.

Lyd. Horns and Hoofs.—Horns and Hoofs, or Chapters on Hoofed Animals. By R. Lydekker. 8vo. London, 1893.

Lyd. Royal Nat. Hist.—The Royal Natural History. Edited by Richard Lydekker, B.A., F.R.S. Vol. II. 8vo. London, 1894.

MB. Ak. Berl.—Monatsberichte der königlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu Berlin. 8vo. Berlin.

Madr. Journ.—The Madras Journal of Literature and Science. 8vo. Madras.

McMaster, Notes on Jerdon’s Mamm. of India, or McMaster, Notes on Jerdon.—Notes on Jerdon’s Mammals of India. By an Indian Sportsman (A. C. Mcmaster). 8vo. Madras, 1870.

Mag. nat. Freund. Berl.—Der Gesellschaft naturforschender Freunde zu Berlin. Magazin für die neuesten Entdeckungen in der gesammten Naturkunde. 4to. Berlin.

Marno, Reise in der Aegypt. Aequat.-Prov.—Reise in der Egyptischen Aequatorial-Provinz und in Kordofan, in den Jahren 1874–76. Von Ernst Marno. 8vo. Wien, 1878.

Marno, Reise im Geb. d. blauen u. weissen Nil.—Reisen im Gebiete des blauen und weissen Nil, im egyptischen Sudan und den angrenzenden Negerländern, in den Jahren 1869 bis 1873. Von Ernst Marno. 8vo. Wien, 1874.

Matsch. Mittheil. deutsch. Schutzgebiet.—Mittheilungen aus den deutschen Schutzgebieten. 8vo. Berlin.

Matschie, Thierw. Ost-Afr. Säugeth., or Säug. Deutsch-O.-Afr.—Die Thierwelt Ost-Afrikas und der Nachbargebiete, herausgegeben unter Redaktion von Prof. Dr. K. Möbius. Lief. I. Die Säugethiere Ost-Afrikas. Von P. Matschie. Royal 8vo. Berlin, 1895.

Mélang. Biol.—Mélanges Biologiques tirés du Bulletin de l’Académie Impériale des Sciences de St. Pétersbourg. 8vo. St. Pétersbourg.

Mém. Ac. Pétersb.—Mémoires de l’Académie Impériale des Sciences St. Pétersbourg. 4to. St. Pétersbourg.

Mém. de l’Inst., Sci. Phys.—Mémoires de l’Institut Sciences et Physiques de France. 4to. Paris.

Mem. Sci. Pisa.—Memorie Scientifiche, Pisa. Vol. I. 8vo. Pisa, 1828.

Ménétriés, Cat. rais. Zool. Caucase.—Catalogue Raisonné des Objets de Zoologie recueillis dans un Voyage au Caucase et jusqu’aux frontières actuelles de la Perse. Par E. Ménétriés. 4to. St. Pétersbourg, 1832.

Millais, A Breath from the Veldt.—A. Breath from the Veldt. By John Guille Millais, F.Z.S. Folio. London, 1893.

Misc. Cur. Acad. Nat. Cur.—Kaiserliche Leopoldino-Carolinische deutsche Akademie der Naturforscher, Dresden. Miscellanea Curiosa sive Ephemeridum Medicophysicarum Germanicarum ... decuriæ secundæ.

Mitth. deutsch. Schutzgebiet., or MT. deutsch. Schutz-geb.—Mittheilungen aus den deutschen Schutzgebieten. 8vo. Berlin.

Mitth. Ges. nat. Fr.—Mittheilungen Berlinische Gesellschaft naturforschender Freunde, Berlin.

Mockler-Ferryman, Up the Niger.—Up the Niger, Narrative of Major C. Macdonald’s Mission to the Niger and Benue Rivers, West Africa. By Capt. A. F. Mockler-Ferryman. 8vo. London, 1892.

Müll. Naturs.—Des Ritters Carl von Linné Natursystem. Von P. L. S. Müller. 8vo. Nürnberg, 1773–76.

Murray, Zool. Sind.—The Vertebrate Zoology of Sind. By James A. Murray. 8vo. London and Bombay, 1884.

Nachtigal, Sahara and Soudan.—Sah[)a]râ und Sûdan. Ergebnisse sechsjähriger Reisen in Afrika. Von Dr. Gustav Nachtigal. 3 vols. 8vo. Berlin, 1879–89.

N. Act. Ups.—Nova Acta Regiæ Societatis Scientiarum Upsaliensis. 4to. Upsaliæ.

Nature.—Nature, a Weekly Illustrated Journal of Science. 4to. London.

N. Comm. Ac. Petrop.—Novi Commentarii Academiæ Scientiarum Imperialis Petropolitanæ. 4to. Petropoli.

N. Dict. d’H. N.—Nouveau Dictionnaire d’Histoire Naturelle appliquée aux Arts. 8vo. Paris.

Neumann, Elephant-Hunting in E. Africa.—Elephant-Hunting in East Equatorial Africa. By A. H. Neumann. 8vo. London, 1898.

Nicolls & Egl. Sportsm. S. Afr.—The Sportsman in South Africa. By James A. Nicolls and William Eglington. 8vo. London, 1892.

N. L. M.—Notes from the Leyden Museum. 8vo. Leiden.

Novitat. Zool.—Novitates Zoologicæ; a Journal of Zoology in connection with the Tring Museum. Edited by the Hon. Walter Rothschild, Ph.D., Ernst Hartert, and Dr. K. Jordan. Vol. V. 8vo. London, 1898.

Öfv. K. Vet.-Ak. Förh.—Öfversigt af Kongl. Ventenskaps-Akademiens Förhandlingar. 8vo. Stockholm.

Oken, Allg. Nat., or Oken, Allgem. Naturgesch.—Allgemeine Naturgeschichte für alle Stände. Von Professor Oken. 7 vols. in 13. 8vo. Stuttgart, 1833–41.

Oken, Lehrb. Naturgesch.—Oken’s Lehrbuch der Naturgeschichte. 4 vols. 8vo. Jena, 1815–16.

Oken’s Isis.—Isis von Oken. 4to. Leipzig.

P. Ac. Philad.—Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. 8vo. Philadelphia.

P. A. S. B.—Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. 8vo. Calcutta.

Pall. Misc. Zool.—P. S. Pallas: Miscellanea Zoologica. 4to. Hagæ Comitum, 1766.

Pall. Spic. Zool.—Spicilegia Zoologica. Cura P. S. Pallas. 4to. Berolini, 1767–80.

Pall. Zoogr. Ross.-As.—Zoographia Rosso-Asiatica, sistens omnium Animalium in extenso Imperio Rossico. Auctore Petro Pallas. 3 vols. 4to. Petropoli, 1811.

Penn. Hist. of Quad.—History of Quadrupeds. By Thomas Pennant. 4to. London, 1781.

Penn. Syn. Mamm.—Synopsis of Quadrupeds. By Thomas Pennant. 8vo. Chester, 1771.

Penny Enc.—The Penny Cyclopædia of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. 4to. London.

Petherick, Travels in Centr. Afr.—Travels in Central Africa, and Explorations of the Western Nile Tributaries. By Mr. and Mrs. Petherick. 2 vols. 8vo. London, 1869.

Pet. Säug. Mossamb.—Naturwissenschaftliche Reise nach Mossambique. Von Wilhelm C. H. Peters. Zoologie. I. Säugethiere. Folio. Berlin, 1852.

Phil. Mag.—Philosophical Magazine. 8vo. London.

Phil. Trans.—Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. 4to. London.

Pollok, Sport in Brit. Burmah.—Sport in British Burmah, Assam, and the Cassyah and Jyntiah Hills. By Lieut.-Col. Pollok. 2 vols. 8vo. London, 1879.

P. Bost. Soc. N. H.—Proceedings of the Boston Society of Natural History. VII. (1861).

P. U.S. Nat. Mus.—Proceedings of the United States National Museum, Washington. 8vo. Washington.

Przewalski, Cat. Coll.—Catalogue of the Zoological Collections collected by N. M. Przewalski in Central Asia. [In Russian.] 8vo. St. Petersburg, 1888.

Przewalski, Mongolia.—Mongolia and the Country of Tangut. By Lieut.-Col. N. Prejevalsky. [In Russian.] 2 vols. 8vo. St. Petersburg, 1875–76.

——. Mongolia, the Tangut Country. By Lieut.-Col. N. Prejevalsky. Translated by E. Delmar Morgan. 2 vols. 8vo. London, 1876.

Publ. Chicago Mus. Zool.—Publications of the Chicago Museum. Zoology. Part I. 8vo. Chicago, 1897.

P. Z. S.—Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. 8vo. London.

Quart. Orient. Mag.—Quarterly Oriental Magazine. 8vo. Calcutta.

Radde, Ost-Sibirien.—Reisen im Süden von Ost-Sibirien in den Jahren 1855–59 incl. Ausgeführt von Gustav Radde. Band I. Die Säugethierfauna. 4to. St. Petersburg, 1862.

Rafinesque, Analyse de la Nature.—Analyse de la Nature, ou Tableau de l’Univers et des corps organisés. Par C. S. Rafinesque. 8vo. Palerme, 1815.

Ray, Quadr.—Synopsis Methodica Animalium Quadrupedum et Serpentini Generis. Auctore Joanne Raio. 8vo. Londini, 1693.

Reichenb. Säug.—Die vollständigste Naturgeschichte des In-und Auslandes. Von H. G. Ludwig Reichenbach. Der Säugethiere. Band III. 8vo. Dresden und Leipzig, 1845.

Rep. Counc. Z. S. L.—Report of the Council of the Zoological Society of London. 8vo. London.

Rochebrune, Faune de la Sénégamb., Mamm.—Rochebrune, Faune de la Sénégambie. Mammifères. 8vo. Paris, 1883.

Rothschild, Nov. Zool.—Novitates Zoologicæ; a Journal of Zoology in connection with the Tring Museum. Edited by the Hon. Walter Rothschild, E. Hartert, and Dr. K. Jordan. 4to. London.

Rüpp., N. Wirb. Abyss. Säug.—Neue Wirbelthiere zu der Fauna von Abyssinien gehörig, entdeckt und beschrieben. Von Dr. Eduard Rüppell. Säugethiere. Folio. Frankfurt-am-Main, 1835.

Rütimeyer, Rind. Tert.-Epoch.—Abhandlungen der schweizerischen paläontologischen Gesellschaft. Die Rinder Tertiär-Epoche nebst Vorstudien zu einer natürlichen Geschichte der Antilopen. Von L. Rütimeyer. Folio. Zürich, 1877–78.

S. Afr. Quart. Journ.—South African Quarterly Journal. 2 vols. 8vo. Cape Town, 1829–35.

Salt, Travels in Abyssinia.—A Voyage to Abyssinia, and Travels into the Interior of that Country, executed in the Years 1809–10. By H. Salt. 4to. London, 1814.

SB. Ak. Wien., or SB. Wien.—Sitzungsberichte der kaiserliche Akademie der Wissenschaften. 8vo. Wien.

SB. nat. Freund.—Sitzungs-Berichte der Gesellschaft naturforschender Freunde zu Berlin. 8vo. Berlin.

SB. zool.-bot. Ges. Wien.—Sitzungsberichte der kaiserlich-königlichen zoologisch-botanischen Gesellschaft in Wien. 8vo. Wien.

Schinz, Cuv. Thierr.—Das Thierreich, eingetheilt nach dem Bau der Thiere, als Grundlage ihrer Naturgeschichte und der vergleichende Anatomie. Von Baron von Cuvier. Aus dem Franz. von H. R. Schinz. 4 vols. 8vo. Stuttgart, 1821–25.

Schinz, Mon. Ant., or Mon. Säugeth.—Monographien der Säugethiere. Von H. R. Schinz. Mit Abbildungen nach der Natur und den vorzüglichsten naturwissenschaftlichen Werken gezeichnet von Conrad Kull. Text and Atlas. 4to. Zürich, 1848.

Schinz, Nat. Abb. d. Säug.—Naturgeschichte und Abbildungen der Säugethiere. Von H. R. Schinz. Text and Atlas. 4to. Zürich, 1824.

Schinz, Syn. Mamm.—Systematisches Verzeichniss aller bis jetzt bekannten Säugethiere oder Synopsis Mammalium nach dem Cuvier’schen System. Von Dr. Heinrich Schinz. 2 vols. 8vo. Solothurn, 1844–45.

Schneider’s ed. Buffon.—Buffon et Daubenton. Histoire Naturelle, générale et particulière, avec la Description du Cabinet du Roi. 38 vols. [Supplements par J. Allamand.] 4to. Amsterdam, Schneider, 1766–99.

Schreb. Säug.—Die Säugthiere in Abbildungen nach der Natur mit Beschreibungen. Von J. C. D. von Schreber. Theile I.-IV.—Fortgesetzt von Dr. J. A. Wagner. Theile V.-VII. 4to. Erlangen, 1775–1855.

Schweinfurth, Herz. von Afrika.—Im Herzen von Afrika. Reisen und Entdeckungen in Centralen Aequatorial-Afrika während der Jahre 1868 bis 1871. 2 vols. 8vo. Leipzig and London, 1874.

——.——. Translated by Ellen E. Frewer. 2 vols. 8vo. London, 1873.

Scl. List Anim. Zool. Soc., or Scl. List An. Z. S.—List of the Vertebrated Animals now or lately living in the Gardens of the Zoological Society of London. By P. L. Sclater. Eighth edition. 8vo. London, 1883.

——.——. Ninth edition. 8vo. London, 1896.

Scl. Cat. Mamm. Calc. Mus.—Catalogue of Mammalia in the Indian Museum, Calcutta. By W. L. Sclater, M.A. Part II. 8vo. Calcutta, 1891.

Seba, Thesaurus.—Locupletissimi Rerum Naturalium Thesauri accurata descriptio. Descripsit Albertus Seba. 4 vols. Folio. Amstelædami, 1734–65.

Selous, Hunter’s Wanderings.—A Hunter’s Wanderings in Africa. By Frederick Courteney Selous. 8vo. London, 1881.

Shaw, Gen. Zool.—General Zoology; or, Systematic Natural History. By George Shaw. 14 vols. 8vo. London, 1800–26.

Silliman’s Amer. Journ.—The American Journal of Science and Arts. Edited by Prof. Silliman. 8vo. New Haven.

Sm. Ill. Zool. S. Afr.—Illustrations of the Zoology of South Africa. By Andrew Smith. Mammalia. 4to. London, 1838–48.

Smuts, En. Mamm. Cap.—Dissertatio zoologica inauguralis, exhibens Enumerationem Mammalium Capensium. Defendet Johannes Smuts. 4to. Lugduni-Batavorum, 1832.

Sparrm. Reise.—Resa till Goda Hopps-udden, södra Pol-kretsen och omkring jordklotet, samt till Hottentott-och Caffer-Landen, Åren 1772–76. A. Sparrman. 8vo. Stockholm, 1783.

Sparrm. Voy. to Cape (Engl. Transl.).—A Voyage to the Cape of Good Hope, towards the Antarctic Polar Circle, and round the World. By Andrew Sparrman. (Translated from the Swedish original.) 2 vols. 4to. London, 1786.

Speke, Journ. of Disc.—Journal of Discovery of the Source of the Nile. By John Hanning Speke. 8vo. Edinburgh and London, 1863.

Speke, Rep. Zool. Coll. Somali.—Report on a Zoological Collection from the Somali Country. By Edward Blyth. With Additions and Corrections by the Collector, J. H. Speke. 8vo. London, 1860.

Sterndale, Mamm. Ind.—Natural History of the Mammalia of India and Ceylon. By Robert A. Sterndale. 8vo. Calcutta, 1884.

Sund. Pecora.—Methodisk öfversigt af Idislande djuren, Linné’s Pecora. Af Carl J. Sundevall. Kongl. Vetenskaps-Akademiens Handlingar, för År 1844. 8vo. Stockholm, 1846.

Sund. Hornschuch’s Transl.—Methodische Uebersicht der wiederkäuenden Thiere, Linné’s Pecora. Von Carl Sundevall. Aus dem Schwedischen durch Prof. Hornschuch. Archiv scandinavischen Beiträge zur Naturgeschichte; von Hornschuch. Band II. 8vo. Greifswald, 1850. Reprint (separately paged), 1848.

Swayne, Somaliland, or Swayne, Seventeen Trips to Somaliland.—Seventeen Trips to Somáliland; a Record of Exploration and Big Game Shooting, 1885 to 1893. By Captain H. G. C. Swayne, R.E. 8vo. London, 1895.

Temm. Esq. Zool. Guin.—Esquisses Zoologiques sur la Côte de Guiné. Par C. J. Temminck. 8vo. Leiden, 1853.

Thomson, Masailand.—Through Mas[)a]i Land; a Journey of Exploration among the Snow-clad Volcanic Mountains and Strange Tribes of Eastern Equatorial Africa. By Joseph Thomson. 8vo. London, 1885.

Thunb. Resa.—Resa uti Europa, Africa, Asia. Carl P. Thunberg. 8vo. Upsala, 1788–93.

Tied. Zool.—Zoologie. Zu seinen Vorlesungen entworfen. Von D. F. Tiedemann. 3 vols. 8vo. Landshut, Heidelberg, 1808–14.

Trans. Linn. Soc.—Transactions of the Linnean Society of London. 4to. London.

Tr. Z. S.—Transactions of the Zoological Society of London. 4to. London.

Tristr. Faun. & Flor. Pal.—The Survey of Western Palestine. The Fauna and Flora of Palestine. By H. B. Tristram. 4to. London, 1884.

Tristram, Great Sahara.—The Great Sahara: Wanderings south of the Atlas Mountains. By H. B. Tristram, M.A. 8vo. London, 1860.

Trouess. Cat. Mamm.—Catalogus Mammalium tam viventium quam fossilium a Dr. E. L. Trouessart. Nova Ed. Fasc. IV. 8vo. Berolini, 1898.

Turt. Linn. S. N.—A General System of Nature through the three Grand Kingdoms of Animals, Vegetables, and Minerals, &c. By Sir Charles Linné.... Together with various Modern Arrangements and Corrections, &c. By William Turton, M.D. 7 vols. 8vo. London, 1806.

Verz. Senck. Mus.—Verzeichniss der in dem Museum der Senckenbergischen aufgestellten Sammlungen. 4to. Frankfurt-am-Main, 1842.

Von der Decken’s Reise.—Baron Carl Claus von der Decken’s Reisen in Ost-Afrika. Band III. Abth. 3. Royal 8vo. Leipzig und Heidelberg, 1869.

Von Höhnel, Zum Rudolph-See.—Discovery of Lakes Rudolf and Stefanie, a Narrative of Count Samuel Teleki’s Exploring and Hunting Expedition in Eastern Equatorial Africa in 1887 and 1888. By his companion Lieut. Ludwig von Höhnel. Translated by Nancy Bell (N. d’Anvers). 2 vols. 8vo. London, 1894.

Vosmaer, Reg. An.—Regnum Animale. Per A. Vosmaer. 4to. Amsterdam, 1766–1804.

Wagn. Schr. Säug.—Die Säugthiere in Abbildungen nach der Natur mit Beschreibungen von Dr. J. C. D. von Schreber. Fortgesetzt von Dr. J. A. Wagner. 5 vols. 4to. Erlangen, 1840–55.

Ward’s Great and Small Game of Africa.—Great and Small Game of Africa. Edited by H. A. Bryden. Published by Rowland Ward. 4to. London, 1899.

Ward, Horn Meas.—Horn Measurements and Weights of the Great Game of the World. By Rowland Ward, F.Z.S. 8vo. London, 1892.

Ward, Rec. Big Game.—Records of Big Game. By Rowland Ward, F.Z.S. 8vo. London, 1896.

——.——. Third edition. 8vo. London, 1899.

Waterh. Cat. Mamm. Mus. Z. S.—Catalogue of the Mammalia preserved in the Museum of the Zoological Society of London. By G. R. Waterhouse. Second edition. 8vo. London, 1838.

Werther’s Hochländ. Deutsch-Ost-Afr.—Die mittleren Hochländer des nördlichen Deutsch-Ost-Afrika. Herausgegeben C. W. Werther. 8vo. Berlin, 1898.

Willoughby’s East Africa.—East Africa and its Big Game; the Narrative of a Sporting Trip from Zanzibar to the Borders of the Masai. By Captain Sir John C. Willoughby, Bart. 8vo. London, 1889.

Wolf, Zool. Sketches.—Zoological Sketches. By Joseph Wolf. Made for the Zoological Society of London, from Animals in their Vivarium. Edited, with Notes, by P. L. Sclater, M.A. 2 vols. Folio. London, 1861–67.

Wood, Ill. Nat. Hist.—The Illustrated Natural History. By the Rev. J. G. Wood. 3 vols. 8vo. London, 1861–63.

Z. Ges. Erdkunde Berl.—Zeitschrift Gesellschaft für Erdkunde. 8vo. Berlin.

Zeitschr. ges. Nat.—Zeitschrift für die gesammten Naturwissenschaften. 8vo. Berlin.

Zimm. Geogr. Gesch.—Geographische Geschichte des Menschen. Von E. A. W. Zimmermann. 3 vols. 8vo. Leipzig, 1778–1783.

Zimm. Spec. Zool. Geogr.—Specimen Zoologiæ Geographicæ, Quadrupedum domicilia et migrationes sistens. 4to. Lugduni-Batavorum, 1777.

Zool. Anz.—Zoologischer Anzeiger. Herausgegeben von Prof. J. Victor Carus. 8vo. Leipzig.

Zool. Gart.—Der zoologische Garten. 8vo. Frankfurt-a.-M.

Zool. JB.—Zoologische Jahrbücher. Zeitschrift für Systematik, Geographie und Biologie der Thiere. Herausgegeben von Dr. J. W. Spengel. 8vo. Jena.

Zool. Journ.—The Zoological Journal. 8vo. London.

THE BOOK OF ANTELOPES.

INTRODUCTION.

The Authors of the present work have no intention of offering to their readers a complete scientific treatise on the Mammals of the Family Bovidæ or on any section of it. Their main object is to furnish descriptive letterpress for the beautiful series of lithographic plates drawn some twenty years ago under the supervision of the late Sir Victor Brooke, making thereto such necessary modifications and additions as the progress of science demands. This letterpress, however, will contain a full synonymy of all the species of Antelopes recognized as valid, whether here figured or not, together with such descriptions as will facilitate their identification, and all particulars concerning their habits and distribution that have been recorded by Naturalists and Sportsmen up to the present time.

As regards the Nomenclature and Systematic Arrangement to be employed in the present work, we think it sufficient to follow those adopted by Sir William Flower and Mr. Lydekker in their standard work on Mammals, with a few slight modifications. These authors have divided the Family Bovidæ, to which the Antelopes pertain, into nine different groups, called sections, which are denominated as follows:—

• 1. Alcelaphine Section.
• 2. Cephalophine Section.
• 3. Cervicaprine Section.
• 4. Antilopine Section.
• 5. Hippotragine Section.
• 6. Tragelaphine Section.
• 7. Rupicaprine Section.
• 8. Caprine Section.
• 9. Bovine Section.

The Antelopes, commonly so called, belong to the first six of these sections, and will form the subject of the present work, the last three sections, which contain the Mountain-Antelopes, Sheep, and Oxen, being excluded.

It is further considered to be more convenient to regard the sections of Messrs. Flower and Lydekker as subfamilies, and to give them the usual termination employed for such groups. Thus, after dividing the “Cephalophine Section” into two portions, which it seems desirable to do, we shall have altogether seven subfamilies of Bovidæ to be treated of, viz.:—

• I. Bubalidinæ, comprising the Hartebeests and Gnus.
• II. Cephalophinæ, comprising the Duykers and Four-horned Antelopes.
• III. Neotraginæ, comprising the Dwarf Antelopes, Oribis, Klipspringers, and Dik-diks.
• IV. Cervicaprinæ, comprising the Waterbucks, Reedbucks, and their allies.
• V. Antilopinæ, comprising the typical Antelopes and Gazelles.
• VI. Hippotraginæ, comprising the Sable and Roan Antelopes and the various species of Gemsbuck.
• VII. Tragelaphinæ, comprising the Nylghai, Bushbucks, Kudus, and Elands.

Subfamily I. BUBALIDINÆ.

General Characters.—Size large. Muzzle naked. A small anteorbital gland[2] present. Nostrils large, valvular, the lower lids covered with short bristly hairs. Tail long and tufted. False hoofs large. No knee-brushes. Mammæ 2 or 4.

Skull without supraorbital pits or lachrymal vacuities, but with shallow lachrymal pits. Upper molar teeth tall and very narrow.

Horns present in both sexes, those of the female merely rather more slender than those of the male; always of medium length, that is, approximately, of the length of the head.

Range of Subfamily. Whole of Africa, including the Arabian Subregion.

The Subfamily Bubalidinæ is readily divisible into three genera, as follows:—

• 1. Bubalis, the true Hartebeests, with abnormally long faces and doubly-curved horns;
• 2. Damaliscus, the Bonteboks and their allies, with normal faces and simply-curved horns; and
• 3. Connochætes, the Gnus: remarkable animals with tufted faces, maned necks, expanded muzzles, and doubly-curved horns.

Genus I. BUBALIS.

Size large and general form clumsy, with the withers considerably higher than the rump; head long and narrow; muzzle moist, naked, and rather broad; nostrils close together, lined with stiff hairs; neck not maned; suborbital glands small, tufted in some species, but not in others; hoofs small; tail reaching below the hocks, moderately haired, generally with a compressed crest along the dorsal surface of its terminal half; mammæ two.

Colour uniform brown or rufous, with or without black patches on the head, shoulders, hips, and feet.

Skull elongated; the frontal bones produced upwards and backwards into a long bony support for the horns, the occiput being entirely hidden in the upper view of the skull; parietals small, compressed behind the frontal horn-pedicle, facing nearly horizontally backwards. Small interorbital perforations present; lachrymal pits present but shallow. Molars very tall and narrow, and without supplementary lobes in the upper jaw.

Horns present in both sexes, those of the female as long, but not so thick, as those of the male, placed close together at their bases; doubly curved, first rising outwards or backwards, then curved forwards and upwards, and then bent abruptly backwards and upwards at their tips.

Range of the Genus. Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.

This genus, containing the Hartebeests, is a very natural and well-defined one, and is curiously shown to be so by the fact that, so far as is as yet known, the ranges of the different species nowhere overlap each other, whilst almost every part of the range of the genus possesses its single representative species.

The members of the genus fall into four rather definite groups, as follows:—

THE BOOK OF ANTELOPES. Pl. I.

Smit lith.

Hanhart imp.

The Bubal.

BUBALIS BUSELAPHUS.

Published by R. H. Porter.

1. THE BUBAL.
BUBALIS BUSELAPHUS (Pall.).
[PLATE I.]

Buselaphus, Gesner, Hist. Anim., Quadr. p. 121 (1520).

Le Bubale, Buff. Hist. Nat. xii. p. 294, pls. xxxvii. (skeleton) and xxxviii. fig. 1 (skull and horns) (1764).

Antilope buselaphus, Pall. Misc. Zool. p. 7 (1766).

Antilope bubalis, Pall. Spic. Zool. fasc. i. p. 12 (1767), xii. p. 16 (1777); Müll. Naturs. Suppl. p. 54 (1776); Erxl. Syst. R. A. i. p. 291 (1777); Zimm. Spec. Zool. Geogr. p. 544 (1777); id. Geogr. Gesch. ii. p. 122 (1780); Gatt. Brev. Zool. i. p. 83 (1780); Bodd. Elench. Anim. p. 143 (1785); Schreb. Säug. pl. cclxxvii. B (animal) (1787); Gm. S. N. i. p. 188 (1788); Kerr, Linn. An. K. p. 314 (1792); Donnd. Zool. Beytr. p. 633 (1792); Bechst. Uebers. vierf. Thiere, i. p. 95 (1799), ii. p. 645 (1800); Shaw, Gen. Zool. ii. pt. 2, p. 331 (1801); Virey, N. Dict. d’H. N. iii. p. 525 (1803); Turt. Linn. S. N. i. p. 114 (1806); Ill. Prodr. Syst. Mamm. p. 106 (1811); Licht. Mag. nat. Freund. Berl. vi. p. 163 (1814); G. Fisch. Zoogn. iii. p. 417 (1814); Afzel. N. Act. Ups. vii. p. 220 (1815); G. Cuv. Dict. Sci. Nat. ii. p. 241 (1816); Desm. N. Dict. d’H. N. (2) ii. p. 195 (1816); Goldf. in Schreb. Säug. v. p. 1171 (1820); Schinz, Cuv. Thierr. i. p. 390 (1821); Desm. Mamm. ii. p. 466 (1822); F. Cuv. H. N. Mamm. (fol.) iii. livr. li. (animal) (1825); Less. Man. Mamm. p. 381 (1827); Fisch. Syn. Mamm. p. 473 (1829); Less. N. Tabl. R. A., Mamm. p. 180 (1842); Wagn. Schr. Säug. Supp. iv. p. 469 (1844), v. p. 444 (1855); Schinz, Syn. Mamm. ii. p. 443 (1845); Gieb. Säug. p. 296 (1859); Nachtigal, Sahara and Soudan, i. p. 572, ii. p. 678 (1879).

Capra dorcas, Müll. Natursyst. i. p. 416 (1773) (nec Linn.).

Cerophorus (Alcelaphus) bubalis, Blainv. Bull. Soc. Philom. 1816, p. 75.

Damalis bubalis, H. Sm. Griff. Cuv. An. K. iv. p. 347, v. p. 362 (1827).

Acronotus bubalis, A. Sm. S. Afr. Quart. Journ. ii. p. 221 (1833); Gray, List Mamm. B. M. p. 157 (1843); id. List Ost. B. M. p. 58 (1847).

Bubalus mauritanicus, Og. P. Z. S. 1836, p. 139.

Bubalis mauretanica, Sund. Pecora, K. Vet.-Ak. Hand-l. 1844, p. 208 (1846); id. Hornschuh’s Transl. p. 83 (1848); Temm. Esq. Zool. Guin. p. 195 (1853); Lyd. Horns and Hoofs, p. 195 (1893).

Boselaphus bubalis, Gray, Ann. Mag. N. H. (1) xviii. p. 233 (1846); id. P. Z. S. 1850, p. 139; id. Knowsl. Men. p. 20, pl. xx. fig. 1 (young) (1850); Blyth, P. Z. S. 1869, p. 51, fig. 3 (horns).

Alcelaphus bubalis, Gray, Cat. Ung. B. M. p. 123 (1852); Tristram, Great Sahara, p. 387 (1860); id. P. Z. S. 1866, p. 86 (Palestine); Brooke, P. Z. S. 1872, p. 643; Gray, Cat. Rum. B. M. p. 43 (1872); id. Hand-l. Rum. p. 114 (1873); Rütimeyer, Rind. Tert.-Epoch. p. 47 (1877); Schmidt, P. Z. S. 1880, p. 307 (length of life); Jent. Cat. Ost. Leyd. Mus. (Mus. Pays-Bas, ix.) p. 139 (1887); id. Cat. Mamm. Leyd. Mus. (op. cit. xi.) p. 171 (1892); Lyd. Field, lxxvii. p. 858 (1891).

Alcelaphus bubale, Gerrard, Cat. Bones Mamm. B. M. p. 243 (1862).

Alcelaphus bubalinus, Flow. & Lyd. Mamm. p. 335 (1891).

Boselaphus caama (partim), Heugl. Ant. u. Büff. N.O.-Afr. (N. Act. Leopold. xxx. pt. ii.) p. 22, pl. 1. fig. 3 (horns) (1863).

Acronotus lelwel, Heugl. Reise N.O.-Afr. ii. p. 124 (1877).

Vernacular Names:—Begra el Ouach, Arabs of Algeria (Lataste); Bekker-el-wash, Arabs of Palestine (Tristram); Kargum of Saharan Tuaregs; Karia in Bagirmi (Nachtigal). “Lelwel,” “Alalüehl,” and some others of Schweinfurth’s names also probably belong here.

Size small; height at withers only about 43 inches, and therefore markedly less than in the other species. Facial hairs reversed upwards for about two inches on the nose, then slanting downwards from a point on the forehead just below the horns, where there is a twisted whorl from which the hairs radiate in all directions. Colour uniform pale rufous or fawn, entirely without darker patches on forehead, chin, or limbs; there is, however, an ill-defined patch of greyish on each side of the muzzle above the nostrils; lower part of rump not whitish. Tail black on the terminal tuft only, the rest like the back.

Skull long, but the elongation less than in B. caama. Approximate dimensions:—basal length 13 inches, greatest breadth 4·8, muzzle to orbit 10[3]. Facial length from between the horns to the tip of the nasals 13·5 inches; breadth of the forehead, across the frontal horn-support, 4·0. Horns diverging from each other at an even rounded curve, so as together to form a

when viewed from the front, a method of curvature only found in this and the next species. In length, when measured round the curves, they attain to a little more than 14 inches.

Hab. Northern Africa (interior of Morocco, Algeria, and Tunis) and Arabia.

The Bubal (Bubalis or Bubalus) is one of the few Antelopes known to the ancient writers, being included by Herodotus among the beasts of Libya, and being likewise mentioned by Aristotle, Æschylus, and Pliny. The Bubal is also referred to in the Old Testament and called “Yachmur”—a term which has been incorrectly translated in the authorized version as “Fallow Deer.” Under this name it is included in the list of the daily provisions of King Solomon (i. Kings, iv. 23) as one of the animals brought to the royal table.

Coming to more modern days we find that in the time of Dr. Thomas Shaw, F.R.S., of Queen’s College, Oxford (who was resident twelve years at Algiers as British Chaplain), the Bubal was abundant on the north of the Atlas. Dr. Shaw (‘Travels in Barbary and the Levant,’ Oxford, 1738), in his “Physical and Miscellaneous Observations on the Natural History of Algiers and Tunis,” tells us:—

“Of cattle that are not naturally tame and domesticated, these Kingdoms afford large Herds of the Neat kind called Bekker el Wash by the Arabs. This Species is remarkable for having a rounder Turn of Body, a flatter Face, with Horns bending more towards each other than in the tame kind. It is therefore, in all Probability, the Bos africanus of Bellonius, which he seems justly to take for the Bubalus of the Ancients; though, what he describeth is little bigger than the Caprea or Roe-Buck, whereas ours is nearly of the same size with the Red-Deer, with which also it agreeth in Colour. The young Calves of this Species quickly grow tame, and herd with other Cattle.”

Since the days of Shaw, however, the Bubal has retired far beyond the Atlas into the recesses of the desert, and has become a difficult animal to meet with. Loche (Expl. Sc. de l’Algérie) tells us that it is now confined to the mountainous districts of the Sahara, where it roams about in small troops. Canon Tristram states that “the hunters of Souf frequently obtain this, the largest of game in North Africa.” But he does not think that it “ever ventures north of the Wed R’hir and M’zab districts, while its home is certainly further south. It is considered to be the most savoury meat of the desert-epicure.” During his extensive explorations in the Great Sahara Canon Tristram saw this Antelope only on one occasion: this was at a distance, in the south of the Djereed of Tunis.

From the Algerian Sahara the Bubal extends no doubt into Morocco on one side and Tripoli on the other; but our knowledge of the animals of both these countries is still very meagre, and we are unable to quote precise authorities. In Egypt, so far as we know, the Bubal appears to be now quite extinct, but on the other side of the Red Sea it reappears in Arabia and extends even up to the confines of Palestine. Canon Tristram never saw it alive in Palestine; “but it certainly exists on the borders of Gilead and Moab,” and is well known to the Arabs, who assured him that “it sometimes comes down to drink at the head-waters of the streams flowing into the Dead Sea, where they not unfrequently capture it.” Canon Tristram has kindly allowed one of us to examine a pair of horns obtained from the Arabs in this locality, which are apparently referable to a female of this species.

The Bubal has been long introduced to the zoological gardens of Europe, and its name occurs in the MS. Catalogues of the Zoological Society as early as 1832. It bred in the Derby Menagerie, and the young one was figured in the drawings illustrative of that splendid collection (pl. xx.). It is not, however, very common in captivity, and of late years but few specimens have been received. At the present time there is only a single example of this Antelope in the Zoological Society’s collection. It is a female, presented by Mr. Robert Pitcairn, of Oran, in October 1883, and obtained, no doubt, in the interior of Western Algeria. Mr. Smit’s illustration (Plate I.) was prepared from this specimen.

The series of specimens of this Antelope in the British Museum is not by any means a full one. There are an adult male (stuffed) and an adult female (in skin) from the Zoological Society’s old collection, and a young one obtained by Fraser in the Djereed of Tunis in 1846, besides some pairs of horns and frontlets. Fresh examples of this species from definite localities would therefore be highly valued by the Trustees.

May, 1894.

2. THE WEST-AFRICAN BUBAL.
BUBALIS MAJOR (Blyth).

Boselaphus bubalis, var. 1, Gray, P. Z. S. 1850, p. 139 (?).

Alcelaphus bubalis, var. tunisianus, Gray, Cat. Ung. B. M. p. 123 (1852); id. Cat. Rum. B. M. p. 44 (1872) (?).

Boselaphus major, Blyth, P. Z. S. 1869, p. 52, fig. A 1 (horns).

Alcelaphus major, Gray, Cat. Rum. B. M. p. 44 (1872); id. Hand-l. Rum. p. 114 (1873).

“Bubalis lelwel, Heugl.,” Matsch. Arch. f. Nat. 1891, pt. i. p. 355 (Cameroons).

Bubalis major, Ward, Horn Meas. p. 62 (1892); Matsch. Mitth. deutsch. Schutzgebiet, vi. pt. iii. p. 17 (1893) (Togo); Lyd. Horns and Hoofs, p. 196 (1893).

Essential characters as in B. buselaphus, but larger in all its dimensions.

“Body of a uniform greyish brown; face deep brown; fore legs streaked with dark brown or blackish from the knees downwards. Terminal tuft of tail black.

“Frontal bone between the base of the horns and orbit convex, the same part being remarkably flat in other species.” (Brooke, MS.)

Facial length 17½ inches, muzzle to orbit 13, breadth of forehead 4·4.

Horns curved as in the Bubal, but longer and heavier, their length round the curves amounting to over 20 inches.

Hab. Gambia, Lower Niger district, and interior of Cameroons.

There can be no doubt of the existence of a Bubal allied to B. buselaphus in several districts on the West Coast of Africa. But there are no perfect specimens of this Antelope at present available for comparison, and its distinctness from its northern representative may still be a matter of some uncertainty, although we have good reason to believe that the two species will ultimately prove to be specifically different.

The well-known naturalist Edward Blyth, for many years Curator of the Indian Museum, Calcutta, and a good authority on the larger Mammals, was the first writer to call attention to the existence of this Antelope. In a communication made to the Zoological Society in 1869, Blyth states that he had examined a “perfect skin” of what he at once recognized as a “distinct though closely allied species,” differing from B. buselaphus “in being fully as large as a Hartebeest, and in having black markings in front of all four feet above the hoofs.” Blyth’s opinion was that some mounted specimens which he saw in the Museums of Leyden and Amsterdam referred to B. buselaphus belonged strictly to this new form. He also exhibited on the same occasion a pair of frontlets belonging to Ward, of Vere Street, as referable to what he proposed to designate Boselaphus major. These frontlets, which were subsequently figured in the Society’s ‘Proceedings,’ are now in the British Museum.

Fig. 1 a.

Fig. 1 b.

Horns of Bubalis major.

(Gambia, Carter, 1891.)

Whether the “variety 1” of the Bubal, established by Gray in 1850 upon a skin without horns or hoofs, said to have been brought by Fraser from Tunis, really belonged to this species, must ever remain doubtful. This skin is no longer to be found, and if it were really referable to B. major it was probably brought by Fraser from West Africa and not from Tunis, where the typical B. buselaphus is found. Gray’s inaccuracy as regards localities is notorious, and Fraser visited both parts of Africa. Under these circumstances we may altogether neglect the name “tunisianus” bestowed on this "variety" in 1852, as being highly doubtful as well as inapplicable.

Fig. 1 c.

Fig. 1 d.

Horns and skull of Bubalis major.

c. Front view; d. Side view. (Brooke.)

It is probable that the horns from the Cameroons, referred by Herr Matschie to “B. lelwel, Heuglin,” and those from Togoland, referred by the same author to B. major, also belong to this species, which would appear to inhabit suitable districts in Western Africa from Senegal to the Cameroons.

A pair of horns of this Antelope was amongst the specimens obtained by Dr. Percy Kendall from the Gambia in 1890. Another very fine pair was brought by Sir Gilbert Carter from the Gambia in 1891, from which the accompanying drawings (figs. 1 a and 1 b, p. 12) have been taken. These horns are in Sclater’s possession.

The two other figures (figs. 1 c and 1 d, p. 13) were prepared by Sir Victor Brooke, probably from horns in his collection.

Besides Blyth’s frontlets already mentioned, there are a pair of horns of the Bubal in the British Museum obtained by Mr. E. Bower on the Lower Niger in 1892, and several other specimens of horns without exact localities. Sclater has also examined, casually, a mounted specimen in the Senckenbergian Museum at Frankfort-a/M., labelled Bubalis mauritanica, which is probably of this species. According to his notes it is “nearly uniform brown; forehead ferruginous; black round the feet.”

May, 1894.

3. THE TORA.
BUBALIS TORA (Gray).

Buselaphus bubalis, Heugl. Ant. u. Büff. N.O.-Afr. (N. Act. Leopold. Carol. xxx. pt. ii.) p. 21 (1863) (nec Pall.).

Tétel (Antilope bubalis), Baker, Nile Tributaries, p. 179 (1867).

Alcelaphus tora, Gray, Nature, viii. p. 364; id. Ann. Mag. N. H. (4) xii. p. 341 (1873); id. Hand-l. Rum. p. 172, pl. xli. (skull and horns) (1873); Scl. P. Z. S. 1873, pp. 729 and 762 (Settite R.), 1875, p. 529; Rütimeyer, Rind. Tert.-Epoch. p. 47, pl. v. figs. 7 & 8 (1877); Jent. Cat. Ost. Leyd. Mus. (Mus. Pays-Bas, ix.) p. 139 (1887); Lyd. Field, lxxvii. p. 858 (1891); Jent. Cat. Mamm. Leyd. Mus. (op. cit. xi.) p. 171 (1892).

Acronotus bubalis, Heugl. Reise N.O.-Afr. ii. p. 122 (1877).

Bubalis bubalis, Brehm, Thierl. iii. p. 217, pl. (animal) (1880).

Bubalis tora, Ward, Horn Meas. p. 59, fig. (head) (1892); Lyd. Horns and Hoofs, p. 198 (1893).

Vernacular Names:—Tora in Amhar, Abyssinia; Tori in Tigre; Guragua or Quaraqua in Belen; Tétel of Arabs in Sennaar (Heuglin).

Size large, height at withers about 48 inches; hairs of face directed as in B. buselaphus. Colour uniform pale fulvous, decidedly paler than in other species, and, with the exception of the usual black chin and tail-tuft, entirely without black markings. Lower part of rump behind decidedly lighter than the dorsal surface.

Skull slenderer and more lightly built than usual; frontal narrow; its elongation medium.

Basal length 15·7 inches, greatest breadth 5·3, muzzle to orbit 12·5, facial length 16·5, breadth of forehead 3·4.

Horns shaped somewhat like an inverted bracket, a comparison that is, however, better borne out by the two following species, as in the Tora the diverging parts of the two horns start up at a slight angle with each other, instead of being in the same straight line. The horns themselves are unusually slender, and attain a length of about 19 inches.

Hab. Upper Nubia, Northern Abyssinia, and Kordofan.

The Tora or Tétel was confounded by von Heuglin and Sir Samuel Baker, its first discoverers, with the Bubal. But these two Antelopes, though alike of uniform colour, are easily distinguishable on comparison by the larger size and higher gait of the Tora and by the different shape of its horns. The Tora would also seem to inhabit more wooded and broken country than the open deserts that are the home of the allied species.

Heuglin tells us that this Antelope is found in families and herds in the valleys at the foot of Mount Takah, in the district of the Beni-Ammer Arabs, in Upper Barca, on the Anseba and Atbara and their confluents, and in the lower districts of Northern Abyssinia. He found it likewise plentiful on the sources of the Dender and Rahad, and in Galabat. It inhabits the sheltered country where there is high grass and underwood, is not particularly timid, and sometimes even stupidly bold, resorting regularly in the morning and evening to the usual pastures and drinking-places.

In his volume on ‘The Nile Tributaries of Abyssinia’ Sir Samuel Baker frequently mentions the “Tétel,” as he calls this Antelope.

In August 1861, being on the banks of the Atbara, he writes:—

“The country being now bright green, the Antelopes are distinctly visible on the opposite side. Three Tétel graze regularly together in the same place daily. This Antelope is a variety of the Hartebeest of South Africa; it is of a reddish-chestnut colour, and is of about the size of an Alderney cow.”

A month later Sir Samuel tells us:—

“When about halfway to the river, as we were passing through grass about 4 feet high, three Tétel bounded from a ravine, and passing directly before us, gave me a splendid shot at about sixty yards. The Ceylon No. 10 struck the foremost through the shoulder, and it fell dead after running a few yards. This was also my first Tétel; it was in splendid condition, the red coat was like satin, and the animal would weigh about five hundred pounds live weight.”

Shortly afterwards the skin of the Tétel was taken off entire, the apertures at the neck and knees tied up, and the hide inflated and ingeniously converted into a waterproof bag, to be used for the conveyance of the flesh of the animal across the river Atbara.

In a subsequent part of his journey in the valley of the Settite, a confluent of the Atbara, Baker again records his adventures with this Antelope as follows:—

“We had hardly ridden half a mile when I perceived a fine bull Tétel standing near a bush a few hundred yards distant. Motioning to the party to halt I dismounted, and with the little Fletcher rifle I endeavoured to obtain a shot. When within about a hundred and seventy yards he observed our party, and I was obliged to take the shot, although I could have approached unseen to a closer distance had his attention not been attracted by the noise of the horses. He threw his head up preparatory to starting off, and he was just upon the move as I touched the trigger. He fell like a stone to the shot, but almost immediately he regained his feet and bounded off, receiving a bullet from the second barrel without a flinch; in full speed he rushed away across the party of aggageers about three hundred yards distant. Out dashed Abou Do from the ranks on his active grey horse, and away he flew after the wounded Tétel, his long hair floating in the wind, his naked sword in hand, and his heels digging into the flanks of his horse, as though armed with spurs in the last finish of a race. It was a beautiful course; Abou Do hunted like a cunning greyhound; the Tétel turned, and taking advantage of the double, he cut off the angle; succeeding by the manœuvre, he again followed at tremendous speed over the numerous inequalities of the ground, gaining in the race until he was within twenty yards of the Tétel, when we lost sight of both game and hunter in the thick bushes. By this time I had regained my horse, that was brought to meet me, and I followed to the spot, towards which my wife and the aggageers encumbered with the unwilling apes were already hastening. Upon arrival I found, in high yellow grass beneath a large tree, the Tétel dead, and Abou Do wiping his bloody sword, surrounded by the foremost of the party. He had hamstrung the animal so delicately that the keen edge of the blade was not injured against the bone. My two bullets had passed through the Tétel: the first was too high, having entered above the shoulder—this had dropped the animal for a moment; the second was through the flank.”

As we have already stated, both Heuglin and Baker confounded the Tora with the Bubal. In 1873 the British Museum first received specimens of this Antelope from the Bogos district west of Massowa. The keen eye of the then keeper of the Zoological Department quickly recognized the essential differences of the new species from the previously known members of the genus, and it was briefly described, first in ‘Nature’ and afterwards in the ‘Annals of Natural History.’

Fig. 2.

Head of Bubalis tora.

(P. Z. S. 1873, p. 762.)

In December of the same year Sclater exhibited a mounted head of this Antelope at one of the meetings of the Zoological Society, from whose ‘Proceedings’ the accompanying figure of the specimen in question (fig. 2) has been borrowed by leave of the Publication Committee.

Two years later, in July 1875, a female example of this Antelope was obtained alive for the Zoological Society’s Menagerie; and in the following year, in October, a fine pair of the Tora was purchased by the Society for the sum of £100, of Mr. Carl Hagenbeck, the well-known dealer of Hamburg. These animals had been obtained along with others from the Arabs of Upper Nubia and brought out viâ Kassala and Suakim by Mr. Hagenbeck’s agents. Other specimens of the Tora from the same source reached several zoological gardens on the Continent about the same date; but we believe that they have one and all disappeared, and, so far as we know, the Tora is no longer to be seen anywhere in captivity.

There is a good pair of this Antelope in the Gallery of the British Museum mounted from skins stated to have been procured at Dembelas, in Northern Abyssinia. There are also a skeleton and other specimens from the same locality in the National Collection.

May, 1894.

THE BOOK OF ANTELOPES. PL. II.

Smit lith.

Hanhart imp.

Swayne’s Hartebeest

BUBALIS SWAYNEI.

Published by R. H. Porter.

4. SWAYNE’S HARTEBEEST.
BUBALIS SWAYNEI, Scl.
[PLATE II.]

Boselaphus caama, Scl. P. Z. S. 1884, p. 539; id. in James, Unknown Horn of Afr. p. 262 (1888).

Alcelaphus, sp. inc., Lort Phillips, P. Z. S. 1885, p. 932.

Alcelaphus caama, Gigl. Ann. Mus. Genov. (2) vi. p. 19 (1888) (Shoa).

Bubalis swaynei, Scl. P. Z. S. 1892, p. 98, pl. v. (head), pp. 118, 257; Swayne, P. Z. S. 1892, p. 303 (habits and distribution); Ward, Horn Meas. p. 60, fig. (head) (1892); Lyd. Horns and Hoofs, p. 198, fig. 39 (head) (1893).

Vernacular Name:—“Sig” of Somalis (Lort Phillips).

Size medium, height at withers about 47 inches. General colour a peculiar pale chocolate-brown, finely speckled over with white, each hair being brown with the extreme tip white. Face black, except a line across between the eyes to lips and tip of nose, which are fawn-coloured. Chin black. Shoulders and all round forearms black; there is also a black patch inside and a less distinct one outside the thighs. Lower legs and feet fawn, except that the backs of the pasterns are black. Hams paler than back, but not white and not sharply defined. Tail with its hairs reaching just to the hock, black-edged above for its terminal half.

Hairs of face reversed upwards for only about 1½ inch on the tip of the muzzle, then directed downwards from a whorl just below the bases of the horns. Glandular suborbital brushes prominent.

Skull of medium proportions; its measurements as follows:—basal length 14·5 inches, greatest breadth 5·5, muzzle to orbit 8·3, facial length 14, breadth of forehead 3·5.

Horns bracket-shaped, the median portion of each in nearly the same straight line as that of its fellow; terminal portion very short. In length good male horns attain to about 18 inches.

Hab. Interior of Northern Somaliland and Shoa.

Although this fine Hartebeest was pursued and slain by several energetic hunters before Captain Swayne met with it in Somaliland, it is to the last-named distinguished explorer that we are indebted for our first perfect specimens and for an account of its range and habits, and it is therefore appropriately named after him.

The first evidence received of the occurrence of a Hartebeest in Somaliland was a flat native skin contained in a collection brought home by Herr Menges along with a lot of living animals imported for Mr. Hagenbeck, of Hamburg. In some notes on these skins (P. Z. S. 1884, p. 539) Sclater referred the specimen in question to B. caama. Again, Mr. E. Lort Phillips, F.Z.S., who was one of Mr. James’s party in Somaliland in the winter of 1885, shot a single young male Hartebeest near the northern boundary of the high plateau south of Berbera in April of that year (see P. Z. S. 1885, p. 932), but unfortunately lost the skull which he had preserved, and did not meet with the species again.

The next record of this Hartebeest is from a different locality. The Italian naturalist Dr. Traversi in 1886 transmitted to Florence a Hartebeest’s head which, in his list of Traversi’s collection, Dr. Giglioli referred to B. caama. After examining the specimen in the Museum of Florence, and receiving a drawing of it from Dr. Giglioli, Sclater (see P. Z. S. 1892, p. 258) was able to assure himself that it was in all probability the same as B. swaynei of Somaliland.

In his “Field-notes” on the Antelopes of Somaliland (P. Z. S. 1892, p. 303) Captain Swayne furnishes us with an excellent account of this animal, which we now reproduce:—

“South of the highest ranges of Somaliland, and at a distance of about 100 miles from the coast, are open plains some four or five thousand feet above the sea-level, alternating with broken ground covered with thorn-jungle, with an undergrowth of aloes growing sometimes to a height of six feet.

“This elevated country, called the ‘Haud,’ is waterless for three months, from January to March; it was crossed by Mr. James’s party in 1884, when their camels were thirteen days without water.

“Much of the Haud is bush-covered wilderness or open semi-desert, but some of the higher plains are, at the proper season, in early summer, covered, far as the eye can reach, with a beautiful carpet of green grass, like English pasture-land. At this time of the year pools of water may be found, as the rainfall is abundant.

“This kind of open grass country is called the ‘Ban.’ Not a bush is to be seen, and some of these plains are thirty or forty miles each way.

“There is not always much game to be got at in the Haud; but a year ago, coming on to ground which had not yet been visited by Europeans, I found one of these plains covered with herds of Hartebeests, there being perhaps a dozen herds in sight at one time, each containing three or four hundred individuals. Hundreds of bulls were scattered singly on the outskirts and in spaces between the herds, grazing, fighting, or lying down.

“The scene I describe was at a distance of over a hundred miles from Berbera; and the game has probably been driven far beyond that point by now.

“The Hartebeest bulls are very pugnacious, and two or three couples may be fighting round the same herd at one time. Often one of the bulls will be sent rolling head over heels.

“The easiest way to get a specimen is to send a couple of Midgans round above the wind to drive the Hartebeest towards you, at the same time lying down in the grass. A shot may be got within fifty yards, but no one would care to shoot many Hartebeests, as the trophy is poor.

“Often Oryxes and Sœmmerring’s Gazelles are seen in company with these great troops of Hartebeests, but the Oryxes are much wilder. The Hartebeests are rather tame, and they and the Sœmmerring’s Gazelles are always the last to move away.

“Hartebeests have great curiosity, and rush round a caravan, halting now and then within two hundred yards to gaze. This sight is an extraordinary one, these Antelopes having heavy and powerful forequarters, head, and chest, of a different shade of chestnut to the hindquarters, which are poor and fall away. In the midday haze on the plains they look like troops of Lions.

“The pace of the Hartebeest is an ungraceful lumbering canter; but this species is really the fleetest and most enduring of the Somali Antelopes. The largest herd I have ever seen must have contained a thousand individuals, packed closely together, and looking like a regiment of cavalry, the whole plain round being dotted with single bulls. Their coats are glossy, like that of a well-groomed horse.

“From their living so much in open grass plains the Hartebeests must subsist entirely on grass, for there is nothing else to eat; and they must be able to exist for several days without water.

“Hartebeests are the favourite food of Lions, and once, when out with my brother, I found a troop of three Lions sitting out on the open plains, ten miles from the nearest bush. They had evidently been out all night among the herds, and on their becoming gorged, the rising sun had found them disinclined to move.

Fig. 3.

Skull of Bubalis swaynei.

(P. Z. S. 1892, p. 99.)

“Hartebeest horns vary greatly in shape and size. There are short massive horns and long pointed ones, and all the gradations between. Some curve forward, with the points thrown back; others curve outwards in the same plane as the forehead, the points turning upwards”[4].

Our coloured figure of this Antelope (Plate II.) has been drawn by Mr. Smit from the mounted specimen in the British Museum, obtained by Captain Swayne on the Haud plateau of Somaliland.

The woodcut (fig. 3, p. 24) gives a front view of the first skull and horns received from Captain Swayne, upon which Sclater based the species. This specimen is now likewise in the National Collection.

May, 1894.

THE BOOK OF ANTELOPES. PL. III.

Smit lith.

Hanhart imp.

Cokes Hartebeest.

BUBALIS COKEI.

Published by R. H. Porter.

5. COKE’S HARTEBEEST.
BUBALIS COKEI (Günth.).
[PLATE III.]

Antilope (Alcelaphus) caama, Peters, Von der Decken’s Reise, iii. pt. i. p. 9 (1869) (Lake Jipe).

Alcelaphus cokei, Günth. Ann. Mag. N. H. (5) xiv. p. 426, woodcut of horns (1884) (Usagara); Thomson, Masailand, p. 220, fig. (horns) (1885); Johnston, Kilimanjaro, p. 65 (1886); Hunter, Willoughby’s E. Africa, p. 288, pl. i. fig. 1 (head) (1889); Von Höhnel, Zum Rudolph-See, p. 819 (1892) (Lake Jipe); Lugard, E. Afr. i. p. 532, pl. (animal), and pl. p. 448 (horns) (1893).

Alcelaphus lichtensteini, Pagenst. JB. Mus. Hamb. ii. 1884, p. 40 (1885) (Masailand).

Alcelaphus cookei, Lyd. Field, lxxvii. p. 858, fig. (horns) (1891).

Bubalis cokei, Ward, Horn Meas. p. 61, fig. (head) (1892); Lyd. Horns and Hoofs, p. 197, fig. 38 (horns) (1893); Jackson, Big Game Shooting, i. pp. 285, 291.

Vernacular Name:—Kongoni in Swahili (Lugard).

Size small, height at withers about 45 inches. General colour bright fawn all over, without dark markings, except that the lower lip is rather browner than the rest. Lower part of rump paler than the back, but not sharply defined. Tail long, its hairs reaching to the middle of the lower leg; black-crested for about its terminal three fourths. Face-hairs as in B. swaynei and B. tora. Glandular suborbital brushes short and not conspicuous.

Skull of medium proportions. Measurements:—basal length 14 inches, greatest breadth 5·2, muzzle to orbit 10·7, facial length 14·7, breadth of forehead 3·5.

Horns short and thick, bracket-shaped, the middle portions of the two sides in exactly the same straight line; their tips as long as their middle portions.

Hab. Eastern Africa, from Usagara northwards to Kilimanjaro and Masailand.

The first recorded specimen of Coke’s Hartebeest was a frontlet obtained by the German traveller Von der Decken in 1862 at Lake Jipe in Masailand. These horns were referred by Peters, in his account of the mammals of Von der Decken’s expedition, to B. caama of the Cape. But Sir Victor Brooke, who subsequently examined them at Berlin, as we know from his MSS., was convinced of their distinctness from the species of the Cape Colony, and had determined to call the new species after Von der Decken, although he never published the name. The subjoined figures (4 a and 4 b) were prepared under Sir Victor Brooke’s direction, and show a front view and a three-quarter view of these horns.

Fig. 4 a.

Horns of Bubalis cokei, front view.

In June 1880 Col. the Hon. W. C. W. Coke, F.Z.S., a renowned English sportsman, started from Zanzibar on a shooting-expedition towards Mpapwa, along the caravan-route from the port of Saadani. On reaching the open plains on the plateau of Usagara he met with several herds of this Antelope, and obtained the frontlet (fig. 4 c), now in the British Museum, upon which the species was established by Dr. Günther.

Colonel Coke has kindly permitted us to refer to his journal, in which we find it recorded that he first met with this Hartebeest on June 28th, between the Missionary Stations of Mamboia and Mpapwa. On July 10th, when encamped near M’lalli, at the edge of the plains, though sick with fever, he went out and shot the animal, upon the head of which the species was afterwards based. After this Colonel Coke was taken so ill that he had to be carried back to the coast in a hammock, and was unable to shoot any more of these Antelopes.

In Sir John Kirk’s collection are two fine heads of this Hartebeest, likewise obtained by him in Usagara.

Proceeding northwards to the country round Kilimanjaro we find that Mr. H. C. V. Hunter, in his appendix to Sir John Willoughby’s ‘East Africa and its Big Game,’ records Coke’s Hartebeest as, at the date of his visit (1887), “quite the most common Antelope in the plains” of that district, “being found everywhere in immense herds.” From the same part of the British East-African Company’s territory we have seen and examined numerous other heads of this Hartebeest, including fine examples of both sexes belonging to Consul-General Holmwood, obtained during a shooting-excursion from Zanzibar to this attractive district.

Fig. 4 b.

Horns of Bubalis cokei, side view.

Mr. Ernest Gedge, who traversed British East Africa in company with Mr. F. J. Jackson, has kindly compiled from his note-books the following account of his experiences with Coke’s Hartebeest:—

“These Antelopes range over a very wide extent of country in both British and German East Africa. In the latter sphere I have procured specimens on the south shore of the Victoria Nyanza which in all respects were identical with those found nearer the coast; hence it is reasonable to suppose that they occupy the entire region lying between the lake and the coast. In British East Africa the northern limit of their extension seems to be somewhere about Lake Naivasha in the Masai country. On one occasion, however, I obtained an odd specimen in the valley of the Ngare Rongri, to the south of Lake Baringo, but, as a rule, they are not to be found so far north, as in this district they give place to B. jacksoni.

Fig. 4 c.

Horns of Bubalis cokei, front view.

(Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. ser. 5, xiv. p. 426.)

“Between Lake Naivasha and the coast B. cokei is very commonly met with. It frequents every kind of locality, and is equally at home in the bush-covered wilderness lying behind the coast-line and on the vast treeless plains around the base of Kilimanjaro which extend northwards towards Lake Naivasha, and during the hottest seasons of the year it is often encountered in the most arid and pastureless localities many miles distant from the nearest water.

“Being of a sociable disposition, Coke’s Hartebeest is usually seen in company with other game, and the sight of these vast mixed herds, which include Zebras and Grant’s and Thomson’s Gazelles, is one not easily forgotten. Like all Hartebeest it is very wary and difficult to approach, its senses of sight and scent being extremely keen. During the time that the herd is grazing there are usually one or two sentinels posted on the nearest elevations to give warning of the approach of danger. The white-ant-hills with which the entire country abounds are usually selected for this purpose, and are patronized to such an extent, that I have seen as many as eight or ten occupying the summit of one of these hills, which looked as if it could only support a third of that number. The reddish colour and general contour of these mounds bears in many cases so close a resemblance to the Antelopes themselves (particularly when grazing) that I have frequently been deceived by their appearance.

“When alarmed they utter a few short whistling snorts and take to flight. If surprised suddenly in the bush they usually run a considerable distance before halting, but when the danger has been perceived from a distance in the open they run but a short distance at a time, pausing frequently to turn round and scrutinize the object of their alarm. In this case there are generally one or two bulls keeping at some distance in the rear of the herd, whose fatal curiosity will often delay them until they fall victims to the rifle.

“The speed of this Antelope is very great, and when thoroughly alarmed they will cover the roughest ground in the most airy and graceful fashion, striking the earth with all four feet together, and springing up with immense bounds like an india-rubber ball. Their tenacity of life is also remarkable, and I have known them travel a long distance with several bullets in different parts of their bodies. The hunter who would be successful must in consequence possess a good rifle and hold it very straight.

“They vary in colour from a light tawny red to chestnut. Age has probably something to do with this, though the males are usually darker than the females, and they are inferior both in size and strength to B. jacksoni further north.

“The cows calve during the latter part of November and December, and on several occasions I have come across their young lying concealed in the long grass, whilst the anxious mother was watching the proceedings from a short distance.”

Our coloured illustration of this species (Plate III.) has been prepared by Mr. Smit from a mounted specimen in the British Museum, which was brought from the Kilimanjaro district by Mr. F. J. Jackson. There is in the same collection a head from the mountains of Taita, obtained by Mr. J. Wray.

May, 1894.

THE BOOK OF ANTELOPES. PL. IV.

Wolf del. Smit lith.

Hanhart imp.

The Cape Hartebeest.

BUBALIS CAAMA.

Published by R. H. Porter.

6. THE CAPE HARTEBEEST.
BUBALIS CAAMA (G. Cuv.).
[PLATE IV.]

Hartebeest, Sparrm. K. Vet.-Ak. Hand-l. 1779, p. 151, pl. v.; id. Voy. to Cape (Engl. transl.) ii. pp. 96, 199, pl. i. (1786).

Le Caama ou Bubale, Buff. Hist. Nat. Suppl. vi. p. 135, pl. xv. (1782).

Antilope bubalis, Schr. Säug. pl. cclxxvii. (animal) (1787) (and in part of other early authors, not of Pallas).

Antilope caama, G. Cuv. Dict. Sci. Nat. ii. p. 242 (1816); Desm. N. Dict. d’H. N. (2) ii. p. 196 (1816); Goldf. in Schr. Säug. v. p. 1174 (1820); Schinz, Cuv. Thierr. i. p. 390 (1821); Burchell, Trav. i. p. 420 (1822); Desm. Mamm. ii. p. 467 (1822); Desmoul. Dict. Class. i. p. 444 (1822); Less. Man. Mamm. p. 382 (1827); Fisch. Syn. Mamm. p. 474 (1829); Waterh. Cat. Mamm. Mus. Z. S. (2) p. 41 (1838); Less. N. Tabl. R. A., Mamm. p. 180 (1842); Wagn. Schr. Säug. Suppl. iv. p. 469 (1844), v. p. 444 (1855); Schinz, Syn. Mamm. ii. p. 443 (1845); Gieb. Säug. p. 297 (1859); Drummond, Large Game S. Afr. p. 425 (1875).

Antilope dorcas, Thunb. Mém. Ac. Pétersb. iii. p. 316 (1811).

Cerophorus (Alcelaphus) caama, Blainv. Bull. Soc. Philom. 1816, p. 75.

Damalis caama, Ham. Sm. Griff. Cuv. An. K. iv. p. 348; id. v. p. 362 (1827); Smuts, En. Mamm. Cap. p. 88 (1832).

Acronotus caama, A. Sm. S. Afr. Q. J. ii. p. 221 (1834); Harris, Wild Sport S. Afr. p. 377 (1839); id. op. cit. 5th ed. pl. x. (animal) (1852); id. Wild An. S. Afr. (fol.) pl. vii. (animal) (1840); Gray, List Mamm. B. M. p. 157 (1843); id. List Ost. B. M. p. 58 (1847).

Bubalus caama, A. Sm. Ill. Zool. S. Afr. pl. xxx. (animal) (1840).

Bubalis caama, Sund. Pecora, K. Vet.-Ak. Hand-l. 1844, p. 208 (1846); id. Hornschuh’s Transl. p. 83 (1848); Temm. Esq. Zool. Guin. p. 195 (1853); Brehm, Thierl. iii. p. 218, woodcut (animal) (1880); Nicholls & Egl. Sportsm. S. Afr. p. 45, pl. iv. fig. 13 (head) (1892); Ward, Horn Meas. p. 56 (1892); Selous, P. Z. S. 1893, p. 1

(hybrid with Damaliscus lunatus); Lyd. Horns and Hoofs, p. 196, fig. 37 (animal) (1893).

Boselaphus caama, Gray, Ann. Mag. N. H. (1) xviii. p. 233 (1846); id. P. Z. S. 1850, p. 139; id. Knowsl. Men. p. 20, pl. xx. fig. 2 (animal) (1850); Blyth, Cat. Mus. As. Soc. p. 170 (1863); id. P. Z. S. 1869, p. 52, figs. 4 & 5 (horns).

Alcelaphus caama, Gray, Cat. Ung. B. M. p. 124, pl. xvi. figs. 1–3 (skull and horns) (1852); Gerr. Cat. Bones Mamm. B. M. p. 243 (1862); Gray, Cat. Rum. B. M. p. 44 (1872); id. Hand-l. Rum. p. 115 (1873); Buckley, P. Z. S. 1876, pp. 285 & 292; 1877, p. 454 (distribution); Rütimeyer, Rind. Tert.-Epoch. p. 47 (1877); Selous, P. Z. S. 1881, p. 763 (distribution); id. Hunter’s Wanderings, p. 224, pl. vii. figs. 5 & 6 (head) (1881); Scl. List Anim. Zool. Soc. (8) p. 148 (1883); id. P. Z. S. 1890, p. 411; Flow. & Gars. Cat. Ost. Coll. Surg. ii. p. 272 (1884); Jent. Cat. Ost. Leyd. Mus. (Mus. Pays-Bas, ix.) p. 139 (1887); Bryden, Kloof and Karroo, p. 291 (1889); Lyd. Field, lxxvii. p. 858, fig. 1 (animal) (1891); Flow. & Lyd. Mamm. p. 335, fig. 137 (animal) (1891); Scl. f. Cat. Mamm. Calc. Mus. ii. p. 170 (1891); Jent. Cat. Mamm. Leyd. Mus. (Mus. Pays-Bas, xi.) p. 171 (1892); Distant, Transvaal, p. 12 (1892); Bryden, Gun and Camera, p. 505 (1893) (Kalahari Desert).

Vernacular Names:—Hartebeest of Cape Dutch and English; Khama of Bechuanas, and the same, with a click, of Masaras; Ingama of Makalakas (Selous); Inhluzele of Zulus (Drummond).

Size large; height at withers about 48 inches. Suborbital gland present, and provided with a distinct tuft. General colour brownish fulvous, darker than in any of the previous species; face with a black blaze running up to the horns, but interrupted between the eyes; back of neck with a dark line from the horns to the withers; chin blackish, outer sides of shoulders and hips black. These darker markings are not visible in the young. Lower part of rump behind whitish or yellowish, contrasting markedly with its dark upperside.

Skull with the frontal part excessively elongated and narrow. The measurements of a fine skull in the Leyden Museum are as follows:—basal length 17·6 inches, greatest breadth 6·1, orbit to tip of muzzle 12·7; facial length 19·3, breadth of forehead below horns 5·1.

Horns diverging evenly outwards at their bases, so as to form a

when viewed from the front, then curved forwards and upwards, and finally bent sharply backwards so as to form almost an abrupt right angle behind the last bend. Good horns attain a length of about 22 or 24 inches.

Hab. South Africa, south of the Limpopo River, but extending further north along the edge of the Kalahari Desert. Now nearly extinct in the Cape Colony; still found in the Transvaal.

The Hartebeest was well known to Sparrmann and other travellers in the Cape Colony at the close of the last century. It was figured by Buffon in one of the supplementary volumes to his ‘Histoire Naturelle’ as the “Caama ou Bubale,” but was generally confounded by systematists with the Bubal of North Africa, until Georges Cuvier, in 1816, gave it the name of Antilope caama—“Caama” or “Khama” being the term applied to it by the Bechuanas. In the days of Sparrmann the Hartebeest was very abundant all over the Cape Colony, and was found in large troops even in the immediate vicinity of Cape Town.

In 1811, when Burchell visited South Africa, the Hartebeest appears to have become already much less abundant; but Burchell speaks of having met with it on the Gariep or Orange River and in other localities.

Twenty-five years later, when Harris made his celebrated sporting excursions into South Africa, the Hartebeest had retreated still further into the interior. But Harris speaks of it as being at that date still met with on the plains beyond the Orange River “in immense herds.” Sir Andrew Smith, who visited the Cape Colonies at about the same epoch, and who has figured the male of this Antelope in his well-known ‘Illustrations of the Zoology of South Africa,’ speaks of the occurrence of the Hartebeest far in the interior. He killed specimens himself close to the Tropic of Capricorn, and had heard of its occurrence much further northwards. But, according to his observations, Bubalis caama begins to get rare as soon as the Sassaby (Damaliscus lunatus) commences to occur. His experience justified him in pronouncing that the former took the place of the latter in all the territory northward of 25° south latitude. Sir Andrew Smith gives the following account of the habits of the Hartebeest:—

“The Hartebeest, by preference, inhabits an open country, and hence is generally observed upon the plains in small herds consisting of from six to ten individuals, and often, where the plains are extensive, many of such groups are to be seen within the range of the eye. It is a very wary animal, and views with strong suspicion the advance of man, so that, unless favoured by special circumstances, he finds it an animal difficult to procure. When disturbed, the herd generally scampers off in the train of some acknowledged leader, and they are rarely seen when flying, except in a string, one animal upon the heels of another. Their pace is a sort of heavy gallop, and though they do not appear to move with rapidity, yet the ground over which they go in a given time shows that their progressive motion is far from slow. When first they start, they appear extremely awkward, and generate in the observer an impression that to overtake them must be no very difficult task. After they have advanced a little, however, the apparent stiffness in the joints of the hinder extremities disappears, and even the indications of weakness of the hinder limbs become so indistinct, that the pursuer is soon satisfied of the inaccuracy of his first conclusion. This and the Sassaby are the only antelopes of South Africa which exhibit the peculiarity alluded to, and have led many to remark their resemblance in this respect to the Hyænas and Aard Wolf (Proteles lalandii). In all these animals there is a disproportion between the development of the anterior and posterior parts of the body, and each of them appears when in motion as if its hinder extremities were too weak for the duties they are destined to perform.”

We now come to the distribution of the Hartebeest in South Africa in more modern days. Mr. T. E. Buckley, who published some interesting notes on the range of the large Mammals in South Africa in the Zoological Society’s ‘Proceedings’ for 1876 and 1877, tells us that from being one of the commonest animals throughout the Cape Colony it had then become one of the rarest. He observed it only on three or four occasions during his journey into the interior—once just before reaching the Crocodile River, and once or twice in the Colony of Natal. In the south-east he says a few then still remained in the Zulu country, but he could not hear of its occurrence in Swaziland, where its place seemed to be taken by the Sassaby.

In 1881 the renowned hunter, Mr. F. C. Selous, in his “Field Notes on the Antelopes of Central South Africa,” read before the Zoological Society, described the present abode of the Hartebeest as follows:—“The range of this Antelope is very similar to that of the Gemsbuck. It is still found in Griqualand West, in some parts being fairly plentiful. All along the eastern border of the Kalahari desert it is also to be found, and extends as far east as the river Serule on the road from Bamangwato to Tati. In the neighbourhood of the salt-pans lying between the Botletlie river and the road from Bamangwato to the Zambesi it is very plentiful and may be met with in large herds. It does not, however, extend its range to the north of these salt-pans, and is unknown in all the country between the Chobe and Mababe rivers, as it is also in the Matabele and Mashuna countries. It is very fleet and enduring, and only second in these particulars to the Tsessebe.”

Our figure of this species was lithographed on the stone by Mr. J. Smit from a sketch made by Joseph Wolf, but we have been unable to ascertain from what exact specimen the sketch was taken.

There is a stuffed example of the Cape Hartebeest in the British Museum, obtained by the late Sir Andrew Smith during his journey to the Cape, probably the individual from which his figure in the ‘Illustrations’ was taken. There are also other specimens in the same collection, including the head of the curious hybrid between this species and the Sassaby (Damaliscus lunatus) described by Mr. Selous in 1893.

The Cape Hartebeest, though occasionally seen in zoological gardens, has never been a common animal in captivity. The Zoological Society of London received a single example in 1851, and a fine male in 1861, presented by Sir George Grey, then Governor of the Cape Colony. In 1869 a pair were obtained by purchase.

In May 1890 the Society acquired a good pair of Hartebeests imported from the Transvaal by the well-known dealer, Mr. C. Reiche, of Alfeld, in Hanover. These are still living in the Regent’s Park Gardens.

May, 1894.

7. JACKSON’S HARTEBEEST.
BUBALIS JACKSONI, Thos.

(?) Alcelaphus bubalis, Gray, Ann. Mag. N. H. (3) iv. p. 296 (1859) (Bahr-el-Ghazal).

Antilope caama, Schweinfurth, Herz. von Afrika, i. p. 212 (woodcut) (head, ♂), ii. p. 533 (1873) (Niam-Niam); id. op. cit. Engl. transl. ii. p. 509 (1873).

“Hartebeest,” Speke, P. Z. S. 1863, p. 3 (no doubt B. cokei is also referred to).

Boselaphus, sp., Scl. P. Z. S. 1864, p. 103.

Acronotus caama, Heugl. Reise N.O.-Afr. ii. p. 123, pl. lower figure (horns) (1877) (White Nile).

Alcelaphus caama, Thomson, Masai-land, p. 469 (1885) (Elgeyo).

Bubalis jacksoni, Thos. Ann. Mag. N. H. (6) ix. p. 386 (1892) (Kavirondo); Ward, Horn Meas. p. 58, fig. (skull and head) (1892); Lyd. Horns and Hoofs, p. 196 (1893); Jackson, Big Game Shooting, i. p. 291.

Bubalis caama, Junker, Travels in Afr. iii. p. 172 (1892) (?).

Alcelaphus jacksoni, Lugard, E. Africa, i. p. 532, and pl. p. 448 (head) (1893).

Vernacular Names:—Ssongoro in Niam Niam; Nakibbih in Monbuttu (Schweinfurth); Alwalwong of Djeng, White Nile (Heuglin); Ngazi in Uganda (Lugard).

Similar in most essential characters to B. caama, but the face is entirely without the black blaze always found in that species, being rufous like the rest of the head, and the horns are not so abruptly bent backwards above, the back of the last bend forming an even open curve. The body-colours of B. jacksoni are, however, not yet accurately known, so that it is possible that other differences will hereafter be found to exist.

Skull: basal length 16 inches, greatest breadth 5·7, orbit to muzzle 12·7; facial length 17·5, breadth of forehead 4·2.

Hab. Interior of British Central Africa, north of Lake Baringo; Uganda; and probably extending northwards to the White Nile, and westwards into North-east Congoland.

This Hartebeest, which is the northern representative of B. caama, has been most appropriately named after Mr. Frederick John Jackson, F.Z.S., the successful conductor of the expedition of the Imperial British East African Company to Uganda in 1889 and 1890[5], and the discoverer of the species, which, when previously met with, had always been confounded with other members of the genus. It should be recollected that, besides his merits as a geographical explorer, Mr. Jackson is an ardent zoological collector and observer. The splendid series of birds which he obtained during the expedition just spoken of, and which embraced examples of nearly 300 species, has been described by Dr. R. Bowdler Sharpe in five papers published in ‘The Ibis’ for 1891 and 1892. Dr. Sharpe’s account of this remarkable collection is rendered still more complete by Mr. Jackson’s excellent field-notes which accompany it. Mr. Jackson has also published some very interesting remarks on the Antelopes of British East Africa in one of the recently issued volumes of the Badminton Library upon ‘Big Game Shooting.’

If we assume, as is probable, that the Hartebeest of the Bahr-el-Ghazal belongs to this species, the first examples of it sent to Europe would be those obtained by Petherick in 1859, which were referred by the late Dr. Gray to the Bubal of North Africa. Of these specimens the only one retained by the British Museum is the skull of a female. Another similar specimen from the Bahr-el-Ghazal was sent to the British Museum in 1884 by the German collector Bohndorff. Heuglin also (Reise N.O.-Afr. ii. p. 123) has spoken of the occurrence, on the Kir and Sobat rivers, of a Hartebeest allied to B. caama of South Africa. It is quite clear, therefore, that either Jackson’s Hartebeest or a species closely allied to it is found in the White-Nile district, although we must await the arrival of fresh specimens from this country and further information before we can decide exactly what this Hartebeest is.

It is also probable that the “Central African Hartebeest” of Dr. Schweinfurth’s ’Im Herzen von Africa,’ and Junker’s “Bubalis caama,” met with in the Niam-Niam country, on the northern tributaries of the Congo, should both be referred to Bubalis jacksoni.

Thomas’s original characters of Bubalis jacksoni were based on a specimen transmitted by Mr. Jackson to Messrs. Rowland Ward & Co., shot in November 1889 in Northern Kavirondo, which is now in the British Museum. In a note accompanying the specimen, in which he expresses a sagacious doubt as to “its being the same as the South-African animal,” Mr. Jackson adds:—“Up north all along the top of the Elgeyo Escarpment (continuation of Mau) into Turquel to the north and north-east of Mount Elgon it is very common, and takes the place of B. cokei. Round Baringo it is fairly plentiful, but some marches south of Njemps B. cokei takes its place.”

Mr. Ernest Gedge, who accompanied Mr. Jackson in his adventurous expedition, has kindly furnished us with the following excellent field-notes on this Antelope:—

“The first specimens of Jackson’s Hartebeest were obtained on the Mau plateau in British East Africa. This plateau extends in a northern and southerly direction through the Masai country, and varies from 8000 to 9000 feet in elevation.

“West of Lake Naivasha the plateau is covered for the most part with dense, almost impenetrable forests, but farther north the scenery becomes more park-like, the forest clumps being intersected with grassy ranches, which open out on to the broad expanse of the Angata Nyuki, the latter extending right up to the eastern boundaries of Kavirondo. The whole of this district is frequented by B. jacksoni, which is also found north of Lake Naivasha in the localities bordering on Lakes Nakuro and Baringo north and west of these points; again, it inhabits the Suk country, Chibchangnani, Turquel, Karamojo, and possibly Turkana; whilst farther west it is common in the district round Mount Elgon, and is generally met with throughout Upper Kavirondo, Usoga, and Uganda, wherever the conditions are favourable.

“I have seldom encountered B. jacksoni in large herds, though in habits it differs very little from other species of Hartebeest. More frequently it is met with in small groups, in twos and threes, or singly. It would appear to change its locality to a very great extent according to the seasons. Thus, during the dry months of the year it will be found plentifully scattered over the highlands, from whence it retreats to the low country at the approach of the rains. In illustration of this, I would mention that when on my journey to England in 1892, in the month of December, the lowlands at the foot of the escarpment were almost entirely deserted, whilst on the high plateau above I met with these Antelopes in great numbers.

“On my return journey in the month of July of the following year the Angata Nyuki had become very swampy, owing to the heavy rains, and was entirely deserted, save by one or two odd specimens, whereas the district around Lake Nakuro, in the low country, was fairly overrun by these Antelopes.

“When herding together these animals are commonly found (like B. cokei) in company with Zebras and other Antelopes, and I have frequently come across and shot Topi (Damaliscus jimela) amongst them, the latter being very numerous in the province of Buddu in Uganda.

“Like all Hartebeests, B. jacksoni is, as a rule, very shy and difficult to approach—though, on one occasion, having gone considerably to the south of the ordinary caravan-route across the Angata Nyuki, I not only met with them in great numbers, but they were so little alarmed by my appearance in so unfrequented a locality, that they allowed me to walk right up to them, and even when fired at only ran for a short distance. They do not appear to patronize the bush country like B. cokei, though they frequent its vicinity.

“I remarked this specially when in Uganda, for on the only occasions on which I encountered B. jacksoni there it was confined to certain open portions of the country bordering the Nile and a flat open plain of some 10 miles in diameter to the south of the Katonga River in the Buddu district, where I found it accompanied by Topi, Waterbuck, and Kob.

“It also, from all accounts, frequents the open tablelands bordering Unyoro and the Albert Nyanza, as well as the province of Bulamweze in Uganda, which presents somewhat similar characteristics.

“In appearance B. jacksoni is larger and more strongly built than B. cokei, and varies in colour from a light golden brown to a dark tawny red, its coat being beautifully fine and glossy. It is easily distinguished by the great length of its head and the peculiar set of its horns, which rise almost perpendicularly from the frontal bones, and curve sharply backwards near the tips at almost a right angle.

“These Antelopes possess great tenacity of life, and I have known one to get clean away though struck with two 577 express bullets. On the other hand, if fairly hit in a vital spot they die very easily. The cows calve in November and December, and, so far as one can judge, give birth to only one at a time. The calves themselves are very hardy and vigorous little animals; and I have known of one, which could not have been born more than a week or so at the most, completely out-distance one of my men who tried to run it down in the open—and this in spite of the fact that one leg was partially deformed; but this may have been an exceptional instance.

“The Wa-Soga and Wa-Ganda dress the skins of these Antelopes very cleverly, turning them out as soft as wash-leather, and quite equal to anything that can be done in the London market.”

Fig. 5.

Front view of head of Jackson’s Hartebeest. 1/7 nat. size.

As already pointed out, the horns of B. jacksoni present a very general resemblance to those of its southern ally B. caama, and are at once distinguishable from those of the other members of the genus by the extreme elongation of the pedicle. But the horns of B. jacksoni are not quite so abruptly bent backwards as those of B. caama, and its head is at once distinguishable from that of the Cape species by the entire absence of black on the face.

No complete specimen of the skin of B. jacksoni having as yet been received, we are unable to give a coloured figure of this animal; but the accompanying woodcut (fig. 5, p. 43) represents the typical skull of this species in the British Museum.

There are no other specimens of this Antelope in the National Collection, except the doubtful heads of Petherick and Bohndorff already referred to.

May, 1894.

THE BOOK OF ANTELOPES. PL. V.

Smit lith.

Hanhart imp.

Lichtenstein’s Hartebeest.

BUBALIS LICHTENSTEINI.

Published by R. H. Porter

8. LICHTENSTEIN’S HARTEBEEST.
BUBALIS LICHTENSTEINI (Peters).
[PLATE V.]

Antilope lichtensteini, Pet. Mitth. Ges. nat. Fr. Dec. 18, 1849; id. Säug. Mossamb. p. 190, pls. xliii. (skull) and xliv. (animal) (1852); Wagn. Schr. Säug. Supp. v. p. 445 (1855); Gieb. Säug. p. 298 (1859).

Bubalis lichtensteini, Temm. Esq. Zool. Guin. p. 195 (1853); Ward, Horn Meas. p. 63, fig. (horns) (1892); Nicholls & Egl. Sportsm. S. Afr. p. 46, pl. iv. fig. 14 (head) (1892); Thos. P. Z. S. 1892, p. 533 (Nyasa), 1893, p. 504; Scl. P. Z. S. 1893, p. 506; Lyd. Horns and Hoofs, p. 198 (1893); Barkley, P. Z. S. 1894, p. 132 (Pungwe R.); Jackson, Big Game Shooting, i. p. 290.

Alcelaphus lichtensteini, Gerrard, Cat. Bones Mam. B. M. p. 243 (1862); Gray, Cat. Rum. B. M. p. 44 (1872); id. Hand-l. Rum. p. 115 (1873); Buckley, P. Z. S. 1877, p. 454 (distribution); Selous, P. Z. S. 1881, p. 763 (distribution); id. Hunter’s Wanderings, p. 224, pl. vii. figs. 3 & 4 (head) (1881); Jent. Cat. Ost. Leyd. Mus. (Mus. Pays-Bas, ix.) p. 139 (1887); Crawshay, P. Z. S. 1890, p. 662 (Nyasa); Lyd. Field, lxxvii. p. 858 (1891); Lugard, E. Afr. i. p. 532, pl. p. 440 (head) (1893).

Boselaphus lichtensteini, Kirk, P. Z. S. 1864, p. 660 (Shupanga).

Alcelaphus caama, Noack, Zool. JB. ii. p. 208 (1887); id. op. cit. vii. p. 593 (1893).

Alcelaphus caama and A. lichtensteini, Noack, JB. Mus. Hamb. ix. p. 11 (1891).

Bubalis leucoprymnus, Matsch. SB. nat. Freund. 1892, p. 137 (?).

Vernacular Names:—Konze of Masubias; Inkulanondo of Mashunas (Selous); Gondo in Tette; Gondongo at Sena and Boror; Vacca de mato of Portuguese (Peters); Nkozi of Ahenga; Kangosa of Awanyakyusa (Crawshay).

Size rather large; height at withers about 48 inches. General colour fulvous, deeper and more rufous along the back. Chin, the usual tail-crest, and the front of the lower part of all four limbs black. Lower part of rump white or pale yellowish, contrasting markedly with the dark rufous of its upper surface. No anteorbital tuft present. Hairs of face reversed upwards from muzzle to horns, except on a median patch, about four inches long, between the eyes, where they slant downwards.

Skull with but little frontal elongation, the elevation bearing the horns much broader and shorter than in the majority of the true Hartebeests; on the other hand, the muzzle is unusually lengthened, so that the total facial length is about equal to that of B. caama. Basal length 14·7 inches, greatest breadth 7·2, muzzle to orbit 11·5, length of face 17, breadth of forehead 6·1.

Horns comparatively short and thick, curved first outwards, then upwards and inwards, and finally abruptly bent backwards, their terminal portions nearly or quite parallel with each other, and comparatively close together. The largest horns are just 20 inches in length.

Hab. East Africa, north of the Sabi River, throughout Nyasaland and Mozambique to Usagara, opposite Zanzibar.

The late Dr. Wilhelm Peters, a distinguished zoologist, who explored different parts of the Portuguese territory of Mozambique from 1842 to 1848, was the discoverer of this Antelope, which he named after Lichtenstein, his not less celebrated predecessor in the keepership of the Royal Museum of Berlin, and a former well-known authority on this group of mammals. Peters gives as its locality the provinces of Tette, Sena, and Boror, from the 16th to the 18th degree of south latitude; and Sir John Kirk, in his notes on the ‘Mammals of Zambesi,’ published in 1864, says that “it is very common during the dry season in the forest of Shupanga and in Inhamunha, in small herds.” South of the Zambesi Lichtenstein’s Hartebeest appears to extend as far as the Pungue and Sabi Rivers. Messrs. Nicholls and Eglinton tell us that it is plentiful on the eastern course of the Sabi; and Mr. Buckley met with it in the rough grassy plains of the Upper Pungue Valley, in herds sometimes of considerable size. Mr. Buckley always observed these Antelopes on the open veldt, and found that they kept clear of the more hilly and timbered country.

The great hunter, Mr. F. C. Selous, met with this Antelope only on the open downs of the Manica plateau, north of the Zambesi, where it is called the “Konze.” He was a little doubtful about its identity with the “Inkulanondo” of South-eastern Mashunaland; but we believe that both the native names last mentioned refer alike to Bubalis lichtensteini. Mr. Selous makes the following remarks upon this species (P. Z. S. 1881, p. 764):—

“The Konze very closely resembles the Hartebeest of South Africa; the horns, however, are shorter and flatter at the base, and the forehead is not nearly so elongated. The black mark down the front of the face of the Hartebeest is also wanting in the Konze, where the colour is of a uniform light red. The general colour of the animal is a little lighter than that of the Hartebeest, the tail, knees, and front of all four legs being black. As in the Hartebeest, there is a patch of pale yellow on the rump; and the insides of thighs and belly are also of a very pale yellow. One old bull that I shot was of very rich dark red colour all along the back and the upper part of the sides. About a hand’s breadth behind each shoulder was a patch of dark grey about six inches in diameter. A female that I shot also had these grey patches behind the shoulders. In two other full-grown males these patches were wanting.”

Throughout Nyasaland, so far as it has yet been explored, Lichtenstein’s Antelope appears to be an abundant species; and Mr. R. Crawshay, our principal authority on the Antelopes of this country, tells us (P. Z. S. 1890, p. 663) that it is very generally met with in the hills, if not too steep and rocky, and also in the plains, but appears to prefer a flat or undulating woody district with intervening open glades. Mr. Crawshay adds the following account of his personal experience with this Antelope:—

“In 1883 I first met with this Antelope on the plains between the Kiwira and Insesi Rivers, in Makyusa’s country, at the north-west of the lake; there were just three in the troop, and with the help of another gentleman I was lucky enough to kill one—a nearly full-grown bull. In 1885 I saw several herds of these animals to the south-east of Nyasa, and between it and Lake Shirwa, and from all accounts they must be plentiful in the Yao country, to the east of the lake.

“On the West Coast, later in the same year, I came across a good many on the Kanjamwana River, and between Amuwa and Mpemba’s: here they usually consorted with Impalas; but on the same plains there were also to be seen in their company, from time to time, Water-bucks, Reed-bucks, and occasionally Koodoos and Elands. Inland from Bana to the north again, I was told there were Hartebeests, and I saw some heads of animals said to have been killed there.

“In 1889–90 I repeatedly saw a few in the low red-sandstone hills to the north of Chombi, between Makwawa’s and Afunanchenga’s, on the Hara River; here they generally went in company with Water-bucks or Zebras, and once I noticed three Hartebeests herding and feeding in the midst of some thirty or forty Water-bucks, all cows. Between Nkanga and Karonga’s, on the coast-line, and in all the intervening country between that and the Anyika Mountains, Hartebeests are commonly met with, notably at Vuwa, Mrali, and Taowira. At Nkanga, during my stay there, a cow was killed in a game-pit, and of this animal I secured the horns and frontal bone. As a rule, I have seen Hartebeests in herds numbering from half a dozen or even less to perhaps fifteen or twenty, but I never remember having come across more than that number. This Antelope possesses extraordinary vitality, and in this respect is very little behind the Water-buck.”

Mr. B. L. Sclater, R.E., who has recently passed two years in the Shiré Highlands, and has traversed nearly every part of that district[6], informs us that he considers this Hartebeest to be the commonest of the larger Antelopes there, after the Waterbuck. He met with it in all parts of the country, more frequently in the open districts, but also in the wooded valley of the Shiré, sometimes singly, and at other times in larger or smaller herds. On the Tochila plains under Mount Milanji, at an elevation of about 2000 feet, in November 1891 he saw a large herd of this Antelope mixed with Zebras.

From Nyasaland, so far as we can make out, Lichtenstein’s Antelope extends northwards to the plains of the Wami River opposite Zanzibar, where Sir John Kirk procured specimens, which are now in his collection. In the hills of Usagara, north-east of this district, B. lichtensteini is replaced by B. cokei, as already mentioned in our article on the latter species. Herr P. Matschie, of Berlin, considers the Hartebeest of German East Africa, which he says extends as far north as the Pangani River, to be different from B. lichtensteini (although he admits that the horns of the two species very closely resemble each other), and proposes to call it B. leucoprymnus. We are not, however, with due respect to Herr Matschie’s views, yet prepared to recognize B. leucoprymnus as distinct from B. lichtensteini, though we fully admit the possibility of being obliged hereafter, by future evidence, to alter our opinion on this point.

Fig. 6 a.

Skull of Bubalis lichtensteini, ♂.

(Brooke.)

The main distinguishing feature of Lichtenstein’s Hartebeest is the short and thick basal portion of its horns, which induces us to place it in a section by itself, and which renders it easily recognizable from the seven preceding species of this genus. This character is well shown in the accompanying woodcuts (figs. 6 a and 6 b). Figure 6 a, prepared under the superintendence of Sir Victor Brooke, shows the skull of a male of this species; fig. 6 b, p. 50 (which has been kindly lent to us by the Zoological Society of London) represents, as we now believe, the skull of a female, though originally supposed by Mr. Crawshay to belong to a young male.

Fig. 6 b.

Skull of Bubalis lichtensteini, ♀.

(P. Z. S. 1890, p. 662.)

Our coloured figure of this Antelope (Plate V.) was prepared by Mr. Smit from a male specimen (now in the British Museum) which was shot on the River Sabi by Mr. Selous in July 1885. Besides this, the National Collection contains a stuffed female from the same locality, and a series of skulls and skins from Nyasaland, transmitted by Mr. H. H. Johnston, C.B., F.Z.S., and other specimens from the Manica plateau (Selous) and Usagara (Kirk).

May, 1894.

Genus II. DAMALISCUS.

Similar in most essential characters to Bubalis, but distinguished by the frontals being quite normal, and not drawn upwards and backwards to form a horn-support. As a result the parietal surface of the skull faces upwards instead of backwards, and is easily visible between the horns in a vertical view of the skull.

The horns practically form a single simple or slightly lyrate curve in all the species, except D. hunteri, and in this, although there is a double sigmoid curve, no approximation is shown to the peculiarly abrupt double curvature characteristic of Bubalis.

Range of the Genus. Africa south of the Atlas.

As in the previous genus, the species of Damaliscus, seven in number, may be divided into groups based on the curvature and direction of the horns, as follows:—

THE BOOK OF ANTELOPES. PL. VI.

Smit Lith.

Hanhart imp.

Hunter’s Antelope

DAMALISCUS HUNTERI.

Published by R. H. Porter

9. HUNTER’S ANTELOPE.
DAMALISCUS HUNTERI (Scl.).
[PLATE VI.]

Damalis hunteri, Scl. P. Z. S. 1889, p. 58 (woodcut of head), and p. 372, pl. xlii. (animal) (Tana R.); Hunter, in Willoughby’s E. Africa, p. 290, pl. iv. fig. 6 (head) (1889).

Alcelaphus hunteri, Lyd. Field, lxxvii. p. 858, fig. (head) (1891).

Alcelaphus (Damalis) hunteri, Flow. & Lyd. Mamm. p. 336 (1891).

Bubalis hunteri, Ward, Horn Meas. p. 70, fig. (head) (1892); Lyd. Horns and Hoofs, p. 200, fig. 40 (head) (1893).

Vernacular Name:—Herola of Gallas (Hunter).

Size medium, form more delicate and graceful than in most of the other species. Facial hairs wholly reversed upwards from the muzzle to the horns.

Colour uniform rufous, with no darker markings anywhere, on face, chin, or limbs, and the caudal crest even, black in every other species, is here wholly white. On the face, however, there is a well-defined white line passing from one eye to the other across the forehead. Lower part of rump not markedly lighter than upper.

Skull slender and lightly built. Basal length 12·9 inches, greatest breadth 5·2, muzzle to orbit 9·1.

Horns quite different from those of any other species; at their base they start upwards, then curve down and out, then diverge and slant backwards, and finally they curve evenly forwards, so that their terminal halves point directly upwards. In general form, therefore, they present a slight resemblance to those of the Pallah, a very different animal in all other respects. Good male horns attain a length of 20 to 25 inches (largest recorded 26¼ inches) measured round the curve, but female horns are in this species but little inferior to male.

Hab. Southern Somaliland, north bank of River Tana.

Fig. 7 a.

Head of Damaliscus hunteri.

(P. Z. S. 1889, p. 373.)

We take this species of Damaliscus first in the present work because it is clearly divergent from the typical members of the genus, as seen in the Blessbok and Bontebok, and approaches in some respects the genus Bubalis. It is, however, as already pointed out, quite different from all the other species of both these genera in the shape of its horns, and is also unique in exhibiting the curious white line between the eyes across the forehead, which renders it easily recognizable.

Fig. 7 b.

Skull and horns of Damaliscus hunteri, ♂ ad.

(P. Z. S. 1889, p. 374.)

Fig. 7 c.

Skull and horns of Damaliscus hunteri, ♀ ad.

(P. Z. S. 1889, p. 375.)

Hunter’s Antelope has been called after its discoverer Mr. H. C. V. Hunter, F.Z.S., who met with it under the following circumstances:—

In the year after Sir Robert Harvey’s celebrated sporting-expedition to Kilimanjaro (in 1886–87), of which Sir John Willoughby has given us the history in his well-known volume on ‘East Africa and its Big Game,’ Sir Robert returned to Mombasa in company with Mr. Greenfield and Mr. Hunter, and, after another visit to the “Hunter’s Paradise of Taveta,” near Kilimanjaro, made a second trip, in quest of sport, up the valley of the River Tana, which forms the northern boundary of the dominions of the Imperial British East-African Company. Of this excursion Sir Robert prepared a short account, which has been printed as an appendix to the above-mentioned work. The party arrived at the mouth of the Tana in September, and proceeded up the river in boats to Golbanto, where they were hospitably received at the mission-station on the river. Leaving Golbanto on September 28th they reached, about ten days later, a village called Durani, some 150 miles from the mouth of the river. Here on the north bank Mr. Hunter, on October 16th, shot the first specimen of the Antelope which now bears his name, and immediately proceeded to take the photograph of its head, from which the accompanying engraving (fig. 7 a, p. 54) was taken. Other examples of this species were subsequently procured by Mr. Hunter and Mr. Greenfield. These include two heads (male and female) which are now in Sclater’s custody, and on which he established the species, and the mounted specimen which is now in the gallery of the British Museum. We are not aware that besides the examples procured on this occasion any other specimens of this rare and interesting Antelope have ever been brought to Europe.

The female Hunter’s Antelope differs from the male in its rather smaller size and in its longer and more slender horns, as shown in the accompanying woodcuts (figs. 7 b and 7 c) kindly lent to us by the Zoological Society of London.

Mr. Hunter’s field notes on this Antelope (as supplied by him to Sclater) are as follows:—

“We first met with this Antelope about 150 miles up the Tana River. It is only found for certain on the north bank of the river. It frequents the grassy plains principally, but I have also often seen it in thin thorny bush. It is generally met with in herds of from 15 to 25 individuals.

“At the time of the year when I came across them (October and November) I saw several young ones in the herds. The banks of the Tana River are fringed with a thin belt of forest, then the ground rises slightly and one sees extensive plains dotted here and there with large patches of bush, composed principally of euphorbias and aloes. The Lesser Koodoo (Strepsiceros imberbis) lives principally in these patches, and feeds outside of them in the early mornings and evenings. When I first saw the new Antelope I was stalking two examples of Gazella walleri, and though I saw the Hunter’s Antelope in the distance I mistook them for Impálas, which, however, are not found on the Tana on either bank.

“It was only when I fired at the Gazelles, and the Hunter’s Antelopes (a pair of young males) ran away, that I noticed that they were something new to me. They ran with rather a heavy gallop, like a Hartebeest. I then had a very long track after them, and managed to kill the young male which I first sent you.

“We did not come across these Antelopes again for some days, but then met with them in large numbers and got several specimens. They seemed to me to have more vitality than any other Antelope I have ever killed. This species certainly does not extend down to the coast, but we saw them as far as the furthest point we reached (about 250 miles) up the river, at a place called Mussa. Their Galla name is ‘Herola,’ not ‘Haranta’ as given in your original description.”

May, 1894.

THE BOOK OF ANTELOPES, PL. VII.

Wolf del. Smit lith.

Hanhart imp.

The Korrigum.

DAMALISCUS KORRIGUM.

Published by R. H. Porter.

10. THE KORRIGUM.
DAMALISCUS KORRIGUM (Ogilb.).
[PLATE VII.]

Antilope senegalensis, Children, Denh. & Clapp. Trav., App. p. 192 (1826) (nec Cuv.); Wagn. Schr. Säug. Suppl. v. p. 447 (1855).

Damalis senegalensis, Ham. Sm. Griff. Cuv. An. K. iv. p. 351, v. p. 363 (1827); Gray, Ann. Mag. N. H. (1) xviii. p. 233 (1846); id. List Ost. B. M. p. 59 (1847); id. P. Z. S. 1850, p. 140; id. Knowsl. Men. p. 21, pl. xxi. (♀) (1850); Gerr. Cat. Bones Mamm. B. M. p. 244 (1862); Fitz. SB. Wien, lix. pt. 1, p. 181 (1869); Gray, Cat. Rum. B. M. p. 45 (1872); id. Hand-l. Rum. B. M. p. 115 (1873); Matschie, Nat. Wochenschr. 1894, p. 417.

Antilope korrigum, Ogilb. P. Z. S. 1836, p. 103.

Damalis korrigum, Gray, List Mamm. B. M. p. 158 (1843); id. List Ost. B. M. p. 145 (1847).

Bubalis senegalensis, Temm. Esq. Zool. Guin. p. 195 (1853); Brehm, Thierl. iii. p. 217, plate (animal) (1880).

Alcelaphus senegalensis, Lyd. Field, lxxvii. p. 858 (1891).

Bubalis korrigum, Lyd. Horns and Hoofs, p. 201 (1893).

Vernacular Name:—Korrigum in Bornou (Denham & Clapperton).

Size medium. General colour reddish fawn, with distinct black patches on face, shoulders, hips, and thighs. No dorsal dark line, and no dark markings on feet. Tail barely reaching to hock, its terminal third with a blackish crest along the top.

Skull heavily built; its basal length (♂) 14·8 inches, greatest breadth 5·7, muzzle to eye 10·8.

Horns thick, rising abruptly upwards and backwards from the skull, and evenly curving backwards, diverging as they go; their extreme tips showing a tendency to be recurved upwards. Good male horns are of a length over the curves of 21 inches.

This and the two next species are very closely allied in all their essential characters; but their colour-differences appear to be sufficiently constant in their respective localities to entitle them to specific recognition.

Hab. Senegambia and the interior of West Africa.

The Antelope described by Buffon, in his ‘Histoire Naturelle,’ as the “Koba”[7] or “Grande Vache Brune” of Senegal, has proved a great stumbling-block to naturalists. This has been largely due to the fact that Buffon appended to his description of the Koba the figure of some horns from a totally different source, and clearly of a different animal, which, indeed, we believe to have been simply those of the Pallah (Æpyceros melampus). Not noticing this confusion, many good authorities have identified the Koba with the present species, while others have been inclined to refer it, owing to the figure of the horns erroneously given by Buffon, to the Bontebok of the Cape and to other Antelopes. The description by itself is quite unrecognizable, and under the circumstances, as the matter must ever remain uncertain, the best course seems to be to ignore Buffon’s animal altogether, and to reject the specific names koba and senegalensis that have been founded upon it; although there can be no doubt that the Korrigum, as now described, is the Antilope and Damalis senegalensis of Children, Hamilton Smith, Gray, and many other authors.

This being decided, the proper name to adopt for this Antelope will be korrigum of Ogilby. Ogilby proposed this name in a communication made to the Zoological Society of London in 1836, basing it on the head and horns brought home from Bornou by Denham and Clapperton on their return from their celebrated expedition into Central Africa in 1822–24. This skull is still in the collection of the British Museum.

About the year 1840 Whitfield, a collector employed by Lord Derby to procure living animals for his private Menagerie, obtained specimens of the Korrigum from the vicinity of Macarthy’s Island on the River Gambia, and brought them safely to Knowsley. Here they seem to have thriven and reproduced their kind, for on reference to the ‘Gleanings’ (published in 1850) there will be found a beautiful coloured figure by Waterhouse Hawkins of a mother and young of this Antelope drawn from life. It is a great misfortune that so few records were ever kept or, at all events, ever published of the many fine and rare animals living in this splendid collection. In the Derby Museum, now at Liverpool, are two mounted specimens of this Antelope—we believe the only perfect examples in this country. They are, no doubt, individuals formerly living in the Knowsley Menagerie.

Herr Matschie is inclined to believe that certain specimens of a Damaliscus recently obtained by German collectors on the north and west of Lake Victoria should be referred to the present species, and not to D. jimela. This, if correct, would indicate a much greater extension of the area of the Korrigum towards the east than we should consider to be probable, and further evidence on the subject is much wanted.

Besides the skulls of both sexes obtained in Bornou by Denham and Clapperton, there are other skulls of this species in the National Collection, procured by Whitfield on the Gambia, and, more recently, in the same district by Dr. Percy Rendall. We much regret that we have no further details to offer upon this fine and interesting Antelope, of the life-history of which, as is the case with most of the West-African Antelopes, we know exceedingly little. The figure of this species (Plate VII.) was put upon the stone by Mr. Smit from a drawing by Mr. Wolf, probably taken from the specimens at Liverpool; but upon this point we are not quite certain.

January, 1895.

11. THE TIANG.
DAMALISCUS TIANG (Heugl.).

Bubalus lunatus, Sund. K. Vet.-Ak. Hand-l. 1842, pp. 201 & 243 (1843) (nec Burch.).

Bubalis koba, Sund. Pecora, K. Vet.-Ak. Hand-l. 1844, p. 209 (1846); id. Hornschuch’s Transl., Arch. Skand. Beitr. ii. p. 159; Reprint, p. 83 (1848) (nec Erxl.).

Damalis tiang, Heugl. Ant. u. Büff. N.O.-Afr. (N. Act. Leopold. xxx. pt. ii.) p. 22, pl. 1. fig. 1 (head) (♂) (1863); Fitz. SB. Wien, lix. pt. 1, p. 181 (1869); Matsch. SB. nat. Freund. Berl. 1892, p. 136 (distribution).

Damalis tiang-riel, Heugl. tom. cit. p. 23, pl. ii. fig. 9 (horns) (♀); Fitz. loc. cit.

Damalis senegalensis, Heugl. tom. cit. p. 22; Gray, Ann. Mag. N. H. (3) iv. p. 296 (1859) (Bahr-el-Ghazal, Petherick); Baker, Ismailia, pp. 68, 74.

Antilope senegalensis, Emin, Reise-Briefen, p. 144 (Magungo) (?).

Vernacular Names:—Tiang and Tian (Heuglin).

Size rather smaller than that of the Korrigum. General colour purplish red; the face, a line beneath the eye, another along the nape and back brown or black; front of the limbs and tip of the tail deep black.

Skull with a comparatively short nasal region, the nasal bones themselves unusually short and broad. Measurements (♀):—basal length 13·8 inches, greatest breadth 5·75, muzzle to eye 10·2.

Horns as in the Korrigum; those of a female 20·5 inches in length over the curve.

The colour-characters above given are taken from Heuglin’s description and figure, as no skin has been seen by us. A skull obtained by Consul Petherick on the Bahr-el-Ghazal has, however, furnished the cranial dimensions.

Hab. Sennaar, Kordofan, and Bahr-el-Ghazal.

The Tiang, as the well-known German traveller and naturalist Theodor von Heuglin proposed to call this Antelope, after its native name, is a representative form of the Korrigum in the upper valley of the Nile, and, so far as we are acquainted with it at present, agrees in all essential respects with its West-African ally, except in its slightly smaller bulk, and some differences in the black markings on the face and limbs. The Tiang, Topi, and Korrigum have been until lately generally regarded as conspecific; but in 1892 Herr Paul Matschie, of the Royal Natural History Museum of Berlin, came to the conclusion that previous authors had been in error in uniting the present animal and its allied forms of West and East Africa respectively under one head, and that they should be distinguished as different species. We follow Herr Matschie’s lead on this question, and have little doubt that his views will ultimately prove to be correct, although, from the great scarcity of specimens of all these Antelopes in European collections, it is not possible at present to arrive at a positive decision.

Fig. 8.

Skull of Damaliscus tiang, ♀.

The Stockholm Museum appears to have been the first to receive examples of this Antelope; but Sundevall referred them first of all to the Sassaby (Bubalis lunata), and, when he found that this was quite wrong, named them Bubalis koba, supposing them to be identical with the West-African Korrigum. Sundevall’s specimens were received from Sennaar, and are accurately described in his classical memoir on the “Pecora.”

As already mentioned, v. Heuglin met with this Antelope during his lengthened explorations on the Upper Nile and its affluents. He described it in his memoir on the Antelopes and Buffaloes of North-east Africa (published in 1863 in the ‘Nova Acta’ of the Leopoldino-Carolinian Academy) as Damalis tiang, and tells us that it is one of the commonest Antelopes on the Sobat, Ghasal, and Kir rivers. He gives a coloured figure of its head. Whether v. Heuglin’s Damalis tiang-riel, described in the same memoir (based on some horns from the Bahr el Abiad), is referable to the Tiang is not quite certain, but Sclater, who has examined the horns upon which the species was founded, now in the Naturalien-Cabinet of Stuttgardt, believes them to be so.

The only other explorer of these distant regions who has sent home examples of the Tiang is, so far as we know, Petherick, from whom skulls of an immature male and an adult female of this Antelope were received by the British Museum in 1859. The latter are represented in the accompanying figure (fig. 8).

Besides Petherick, Sir Samuel Baker appears to have met with the Tiang during his journey along the Upper Nile (see ‘Ismailia,’ i. pp. 68–74); and the Antilope senegalensis of Emin Pasha (‘Reise-Briefen,’ p. 144), which he encountered near Magungo, on the Albert Nyanza, may probably be referable to this species.

January, 1895.

12. THE TOPI.
DAMALISCUS JIMELA (Matsch.).

Damalis senegalensis, Scl. P. Z. S. 1886, p. 176 (Lamu); Noack, Zool. JB. ii. p. 208 (1887); Scl. P. Z. S. 1890, p. 354 (woodcuts of head and horns, excl. all synonyms, which mostly belong to D. korrigum and D. tiang); Kirk, ap. Scl. l. c. p. 357, footnote (distribution); Ward, Horn Meas. p. 64, fig. (head) (1892).

Damalis jimela, Matsch. SB. nat. Fr. Berl. 1892, p. 135.

Bubalis jimeru, Lyd. Horns and Hoofs, p. 203 (1893).

Alcelaphus senegalensis, Lugard, E. Africa, i. p. 532, pl. p. 448 (head) (1893).

Senegal Antelope, Willoughby, East Afr. p. 283 (Tana River).

Vernacular Names:—Jimela of Uniamwezi (Matschie); Topi, Tope, or Topee of Swahili; Nemira of Uganda (Lugard).

Size small, height at withers 43–44 inches. Fur very short and close, but mingled with it there are numerous patches of longer hairs, so that a somewhat brindled appearance is produced. General colour a peculiar purplish brown, blackish on face and chin, shoulders, and round the upper fore legs and thighs, but these darker markings are not really black and are not sharply defined. Hams scarcely lighter than the rest. Limbs and feet without dark patches, except that the backs of the pasterns are black. Fur on face directed upwards, from the extreme tip between the nostrils up to the horns, without break. Tail reaching just to the hock, its terminal half black-crested.

Skull comparatively small, with an unusually long nasal region; the nasal bones very long and narrow. Basal length (♀) 13·3 inches, greatest breadth 5·2, muzzle to orbit 9·5.

Horns as in the Korrigum, but shorter and slenderer; those of a female 16·4 inches in length.

Hab. British East-African coast, from the River Juba to the River Sabaki, and extending thence into Uganda and Uniamwezi.

The “Topi,” as we propose to designate another local representative of the Korrigum, from the native name given to it by the Swahili, has been known for some years to the sportsmen who have visited British and German East Africa as an abundant Antelope in certain districts, and has been generally called by them the “Senegal Antelope,” from being supposed to be the same as the “Korrigum.” But, as Herr Matschie first pointed out, it differs from the typical Senegal form in the absence of the black band on the inner side of the thigh, in the front legs being black down to the hoofs, and in the restriction of the black on the hinder flanks to the hips.

So far as we know, Sir John Kirk, then Consul-General at Zanzibar, was the first to obtain examples of this fine Antelope on the East Coast. Sir John has kindly supplied us with the following notes on this species:—

“The ‘Tope,’ or Senegal Antelope, was very common on the maritime plain of Formosa Bay when I first went to Zanzibar in 1866; before I left, in 1886, it had become rather rare near the coast. On the maritime plain it used to be seen in numerous herds of from 5 to 20. The herds of Tope generally kept alone, but you would see the herds of Gazella granti grazing near by. I am, however, not satisfied that this Gazelle was the real Gazella granti, for the horns seem to show a permanent difference of sweep.

“However, to return to the Tope, I may say that I shot it again on the south bank of the River Juba.

“The River Sabaki (near Malindi) is, so far as I know, the southern limit of the species on the coast; I have little doubt that further inland it may be met with further south, just as you find the Oryx, the Vulturine Guinea-fowl, and other species (which never occur south of the River Sabaki on the coast), to be common if you go inland, and in a latitude far south of Malindi, such as at Mpwapwa in Usagara.

“The Tope was at one time so common near Witu, and in the district about Lamu, as to supply a considerable number of hides that were exported from Zanzibar.”

In 1885 Mr. F. J. Jackson obtained examples of this Antelope near Lamu, and transmitted to Lord Walsingham a head, which Sclater exhibited at one of the Zoological Society’s meetings in 1886. During his subsequent stay in British East Africa and on his journey to Uganda Mr. Jackson again met with this Antelope, and tells us (‘Big Game Shooting,’ vol. i. p. 291) that it is the “commonest species in the Galla country, and ranges from the coast right away N.E. to Uganda, passing round to the north of Mount Kenia, but is not known either in Leikipia or south of Lake Baringo.”

Fig. 9.

Skull of Damaliscus jimela, from Lamu.

(P. Z. S. 1890, p. 356.)

Fig. 9 a.

Head of Damaliscus jimela, from Malindi.

(P. Z. S. 1890, p. 355.)

In 1890 Sclater exhibited at one of the meetings of the Zoological Society a head of this Antelope obtained near Malindi by Commander Montgomerie, R.N.

At that time Sclater did not distinguish between this species and the two allied forms, and referred them all three to Damalis senegalensis, which he believed to extend from Senegal to the east coast.

Mr. Ernest Gedge, the companion of Mr. Jackson in his Uganda expedition, has favoured us with the following interesting notes on this Antelope:—

“Though the Topee ranges over a very wide extent of the country in the sphere of British East Africa, it is met with in no great numbers between the coast and the Victoria Lake. The nearest point to the coast-line at which I have seen and obtained specimens was a short distance north of Kikumbuliu, on the borders of the Kiboko River. In this district it is only occasionally met with, and is generally found in company with Hartebeest. Further north, in the vast plains amongst the stony hills of Turquel and Karamojo, and round the bases of Mts. Elgon and Lekakisera, it is fairly common, scattered in twos and threes amongst the herds of Hartebeest. Further northwards, in the countries lying to the west and north of Uganda proper, and indeed throughout the whole district bordering the Victoria Nyanza in this direction, it is very common, and on one occasion when traversing a plain of considerable extent in the district of Buddu I encountered several fine herds of this Antelope. It differs very little from the Hartebeest in its general habits, and, like them, it is usually shy and difficult to approach. It is easily distinguished from the latter species by the rich dark bluish-brown coat, the smaller head, and the shape of its horns, which have, on more than one occasion, caused it to be mistaken for the Sable Antelope (Hippotragus niger). It appears to be equally at home in swampy localities as on the dry open plains, though it shows a certain partiality for those districts which afford some cover.”

Passing now to German East Africa, we find that this Antelope, according to Herr Matschie, was met with by Böhm in Uniamwezi, south of Lake Victoria. Here it is the “Jimela” of the natives, which term Herr Matschie has adopted as its specific designation. In a recent letter, however, Herr Matschie tells Sclater that the specimens of this Antelope lately obtained by Herr Oscar Neumann in Kavirondo and other localities west of Lake Victoria, and by Lieut. Werther on the Rovana Steppe near Speke Gulf, more nearly resemble D. korrigum of the West Coast, but it seems to us hardly possible that the western form should extend so far.

It is certain, however, that we have much more to learn concerning the distribution of this Antelope and its allied forms before the question of their specific relations and the areas which they respectively occupy can be deemed settled.

Besides the skull from the Juba, received from Sir John Kirk, the British Museum possesses a mounted specimen of the adult male of this Antelope obtained by Mr. Jackson in the Kilimanjaro district in 1893, and a flat skin procured by the same gentleman near Malindi.

January, 1895.

THE BOOK OF ANTELOPES, PL. VIII

Wolf del. Smit lith.

Hanhart imp.

The Bontebok.

DAMALISCUS PYGARGUS.

Published by R. H. Porter.

13. THE BONTEBOK.
DAMALISCUS PYGARGUS (Pall.).
[PLATE VIII.]

Antilope dorcas, Pall. Misc. Zool. p. 6 (1766) (nec Capra dorcas, L.).

Antilope pygarga, Pall. Spic. Zool. fasc. i. p. 10 (1767), fasc. xii. p. 15 (1777); Erxl. Syst. R. A. p. 287 (1777); Zimm. Geogr. Gesch. ii. p. 119 (1780); Gatt. Brev. Zool. i. p. 82 (1780); Schreb. Säug. pl. cclxxiii. (1784); Bodd. Elench. Anim. p. 143 (1785); Gmel. Linn. S. N. i. p. 187 (1788); Kerr, Linn. An. K. p. 311 (1792); Donnd. Zool. Beytr. p. 628 (1792); Bechst. Uebers. vierf. Thiere, i. p. 87, ii. p. 644 (1800); Shaw, Gen. Zool. ii. pt. 2, p. 352 (1801); Turt. Linn. S. N. i. p. 113 (1802); Desm. N. Dict. d’H. N. (1) xxiv. tabl. p. 33 (1804); G. Cuv. Dict. Sci. Nat. ii. p. 233 (1804); Licht. Mag. nat. Freund. Berl. vi. p. 166 (1814); G. Fisch. Zoogn. iii. p. 435 (1814); Afzel. N. Act. Upsal. vii. p. 220 (1815); Desm. N. Dict. d’H. N. (2) ii. p. 186 (1816); Goldf. in Schreb. Säug. v. p. 1187 (1820); Schinz, Cuv. Thierr. i. p. 388 (1821); Desm. Mamm. ii. p. 456 (1822); Desmoul. Dict. Class. d’H. N. i. p. 443 (1822); Burch. List Quadr. pres. to B. M. p. 5 (1825) (Swellendam); Less. Man. Mamm. p. 373 (1827); Smuts, Enum. Mamm. Cap. p. 73 (1832); Waterh. Cat. Mamm. Mus. Z. S. (2) p. 41 (1838); Wagn. Schr. Säug. Suppl. iv. p. 412 (1844), v. p. 447 (1855); Schinz, Syn. Mamm. ii. p. 402 (1845).

Capra cervicapra, Müll. Naturs. i. p.414 (1773) (nec L.).

Antilope grisea, Bodd. Elench. Anim. p. 139 (1785).

Capra scripta, Thunb. Resa, ii. p. 50 (1789); Engl. Transl. ii. p. 44 (1793) (nec Antilope scripta, Pall.).

Antilope maculata, Thunb. Mém. Ac. Pétersb. iii. p. 315 (1811).

Cerophorus (Gazella) pygarga, Blainv. Bull. Soc. Philom. 1816, p. 75.

Cemas pygargus, Oken, Lehrb. Naturgesch. iii. pt. 2, p. 738 (1816).

Antilope personata, Woods, Zool. Journ. v. p. 2 (1835) (young).

Gazella pygarga, Harr. Wild Anim. S. Afr. (fol.) pl. xvii. (animal) (1840); Gray, List Mamm. B. M. p. 161 (1843).

Damalis pygarga, Gray, Ann. Mag. N. H. (1) xviii. p. 233 (1846); id. List Ost. B. M. p. 59 (1847); id. P. Z. S. 1850, p. 141; id. Knowsl. Men. p. 21, pl. xx. fig. 3 (young), pl. xxii. figs. 2 & 3 (adult) (1850); id. Cat. Ung. B. M. p. 127 (1852); Layard, Cat. S. Afr. Mus. p. 77 (1861); Gerr. Cat. Bones Mamm. B. M. p. 244 (1862); Fitz. SB. Wien, lix. pt. 1, p. 181 (1869); Layard, P. Z. S. 1871, p. 625, footnote (scarcity); Gray, Cat. Rum. B. M. p. 45, pl. iii. fig. 6 (skull) (1872); id. Hand-l. Rum. B. M. p. 116 (1873); Jent. Cat. Ost. Leyd. Mus. (Mus. Pays-Bas, ix.) p. 140 (1887); id. Cat. Mamm. Leyd. Mus. (op. cit. xi.) p. 171 (1892); Nicolls & Egl. Sportsm. S. Afr. p. 32, pl. vii. fig. 27 (head) (1892).

Bubalis pygarga, Sund. Pecora, K. Vet.-Ak. Hand-l. 1844, p. 209 (1846); id. ibid. Hornschuch’s Transl., Arch. Skand. Beitr. ii. p. 159; Reprint, p. 84 (1848); Temm. Esq. Zool. Guin. p. 195 (1852); Brehm, Thierl. iii. p. 217 (1880); Ward, Horn Meas. p. 69 (1892); Lyd. Horns and Hoofs, p. 202 (1893).

Alcelaphus pygargus, Scl. List Anim. Z. S. (8) p. 150 (1883); Flow. & Gars. Cat. Ost. Coll. Surg. p. 273 (1884); Bryden, Kloof and Karroo, p. 295 (1889); Flow. & Lyd. Mamm. p. 335 (1891).

White-faced Antelope, Penn. Hist. of Quad. i. p. 82.

Vernacular Name:—Bontebok of Dutch and English colonists.

Height at withers about 40 inches. Ground-colour of body, as seen on the anterior half of the back, rufous fawn. Crown, sides of face and neck, flanks, thighs, and the anterior half of the rump darkened nearly or quite to black, which colour also runs down the limbs to the knee and hock, where it passes as a dark ring right round the limbs. Face with a large strongly contrasted blaze of pure white, which covers the whole breadth of its upper surface on the muzzle, but is much narrower above the eyes, where it runs up to the bases of the horns. In the young the facial blaze is simply brown. Posterior half of rump, base of tail, belly, and lower limbs also white. Terminal half of tail, which reaches just to the hock, black-crested.

Hairs of face reversed upwards to horns. No glandular suborbital brushes.

Skull narrow and lightly built, its measurements about as in the next species.

Horns somewhat like those of D. korrigum and its allies, but their bases more compressed and twisted inwards towards each other in front; above they curve evenly backwards and outwards, their terminal five or six inches again gently recurved upwards. Their ridges are 15 or 16 in number, very prominent in front, less so on the sides and behind; their substance is quite black. In length they attain 15 or 16 inches, with a basal circumference of about 6.

Hab. Cape Colony, south of Vaal River (now nearly extinct).

The “Bontebok,” or “Pied Goat,” of the Dutch colonists of the Cape, was amongst the earliest Antelopes known to science. In his first essay on the genus Antilope, published in 1766, Pallas described it as Antilope dorcas, having confounded it with the Dorcas of Ælian. But in his second essay upon the same group, issued in the following year, he selected for it the very appropriate name pygarga, by which it has been generally known ever since. The Bontebok and Blessbok together constitute a distinct section of the present genus, readily known from their congeners by their smaller stature and conspicuous white faces.

Lichtenstein, in his celebrated memoir on the genus Antilope, published at Berlin in 1814, made Antilope pygarga the tenth species of the genus, and gave original particulars of it from specimens which he had himself obtained during his visit to South Africa. He states, however, that this animal is the Blessbok, and not the Bontebok, of the Cape; and there can be no doubt that both these names have been applied to it, though the former term is now by general consent restricted to the next following species, Damaliscus albifrons. For example, Smuts, in his ‘Enumeratio Mammalium Capensium,’ gives both “Bontebok” and “Blessbok” as the colonial names of the present species. In fact these animals were never correctly discriminated till Harris gave figures and descriptions of them in his ‘Portraits of the Game and Wild Animals of Southern Africa,’ published in 1840.

Harris tells us that in his time the Bontebok was “common” in the interior of the Cape Colony, and was also found in one valley near Cape Agulhas. On the plains lying south of the Vaal River he visited the headquarters of the Bontebok, where “thousands upon thousands were seen and numbers were daily slain.” They were frequently seen congregated on the salt-flats, near the stagnant pools of brackish water, licking up the crystallized efflorescence.

Thirty years later a very different tale was told of the Bontebok, which by that date had become nearly extinct except in one isolated spot. Mr. E. L. Layard (P. Z. S. 1871, p. 625) gives the following account of this animal at that period:—“The Bontebok is very nearly exterminated, and, but for the fostering care of Messrs. Breda and Van der Byl, would be quite so in a couple of years.

“They are now confined to one spot in the extreme south of the continent of South Africa, to a portion of the country called the ‘Strand Veldt.’ It is an extensive flat, bordered by the sea on the south-west, south, and south-east, and by a range of undulating country or low hills rising to the Caledon Ranges and Zwart Bergen on the northern side. It is, in fact, the nearest plateau to the L’Agulhas Bank, and is called ‘Cape L’Agulhas.’ The whole of this country belongs chiefly to the families of Breda and Van der Byl; and they preserve the animals as much as they can. A Government permit is also required to shoot them, which must be visa’d by the magistrate at Bredasdorp, the name of the village on this range of land.

“They are, however, poached and destroyed by one or two small holders, who have patches of land surrounded by the large properties, and who refuse all offers of purchase, and plant corn on purpose to tempt the animals into it, and then at night shoot them. They roam in herds of about eight or ten, or twenty; but sometimes fine old bucks are found solitary. They are usually shot from a cart, which they will suffer to approach them, or from horseback. If wounded and approached they will charge desperately; and I have heard of a Hottentot being killed by them thus.”

Messrs. Nicolls and Eglington in their ‘Sportsman in South Africa,’ which contains the most recent account of the Antelopes of the Colony, tell us that the Bontebok can no longer “be considered as a part of the wild game of the country,” as it now exists only on Van der Byl’s farm (as mentioned by Mr. Layard) and has become totally extinct elsewhere.

Mr. H. A. Bryden, a well-known authority upon the game of the Cape, tells us the same story. One of the last resorts of this Antelope was the Bontebok Flats, to the north of the present Queenstown district, where a few of these Antelopes existed up to 1851. It appears certain, however, that except in the farm above mentioned, where a few have been carefully preserved for many years, the Bontebok is, at the present time, an extinct animal.

The Bontebok was amongst the many splendid Antelopes that were to be seen in the celebrated Knowsley Menagerie, and which bred in that establishment. The young is figured in one of Waterhouse Hawkins’s large plates in the ‘Gleanings,’ and the adult pair in another plate along with the Blessbok.

At the dispersal of the Knowsley collection in 1851 a pair of adult Bonteboks were purchased by Mr. D. W. Mitchell, then Secretary, for the Zoological Society of London, whilst another pair, bred at Knowsley, were sold to Prince Demidoff.

In August 1871 two females of this Antelope were brought home alive by the Captain of one of the Cape mail-steamers, and purchased by the Zoological Society for £50. So far as I know, these were the last Bonteboks ever brought to Europe.

Fig. 10.

Damaliscus pygargus.

In the National Collection, we regret to say, the Bontebok is only represented by a single stuffed specimen—a male, received in 1839 from Dr. Smuts. There are also several skulls and horns of this Antelope, but none of them are of recent date. We fear it will now be a matter of some difficulty to obtain fresh specimens of this once so abundant Antelope.

The coloured illustration of the Bontebok (Plate VIII.) and the woodcut (fig. 10) were both prepared under Sir Victor Brooke’s directions. The plate was lithographed by Smit from one of Mr. Wolf’s sketches.

January, 1895.

THE BOOK OF ANTELOPES. PL. IX.

Wolf del Smit lith

Hanhart imp.

The Blessbok

DAMALISCUS ALBIFRONS

Published by R. H. Porter.

14. THE BLESSBOK.
DAMALISCUS ALBIFRONS (Burch.).
[PLATE IX.]

Antilope albifrons, Burch. Travels, ii. p. 335 (1824); Wagn. Schr. Säug. Supp. iv. p. 413 (1844), v. p. 448 (1855).

Gazella albifrons, Harris, Wild Anim. S. Afr. (fol.) pl. xxi. (animal) (1840).

Damalis albifrons, Gray, Ann. Mag. N. H. (1) xviii. p. 233 (1846); id. P.Z. S. 1850, p. 141; id. Knowsl. Men. p. 22, pl. xxii. fig. 1 (animal) (1850); id. Cat. Ung. B. M. p. 129 (1852); id. Cat. Rum. B. M. p. 45 (1872); id. Hand-l. Rum. B. M. p. 116 (1873); Layard, Cat. S. Afr. Mus. p. 77 (1861); Fitz. SB. Wien, lix. pt. 1, p. 181 (1869); Drummond, Large Game S. Afr. p. 425 (1875); Nicolls & Egl. Sportsm. S. Afr. p. 31, pl. iii. fig. 9 (head) (1892); Jent. Cat. Mamm. Leyd. Mus. (Mus. Pays-Bas, xi.) p. 171 (1892).

Bubalis albifrons, Sund. Pecora, K. Vet.-Ak. Hand-l. 1844, p. 210 (1846); id. ibid. Hornschuch’s Transl., Arch. Skand. Beitr. ii. p. 159; Reprint, p. 84 (1848); Temm. Esq. Zool. Guin. p. 195 (1853); Brehm, Thierl. iii. p. 217 (1880); Ward, Horn Meas. p. 68 (1892); Lyd. Horns and Hoofs, p. 202 (1893).

Alcelaphus albifrons, Buckley, P. Z. S. 1876, pp. 286, 292 (distribution); Scl. List Anim. Z. S. (8) p. 149 (1883); Bryden, Kloof and Karroo, p. 295 (1889); Flow. & Lyd. Mamm. p. 335 (1891).

Vernacular Names:—Blessbok of Dutch and English colonists; Nunni of Bechuana natives (Harris); Inoni of Kaffirs (Drummond); Inoni or Inpemfu of Zulus (Rendall).

Similar to D. pygargus in nearly every respect; but the rufous ground-colour is much more widely extended, owing to the parts which are black in that animal being here scarcely darker than the rest. White blaze on face divided into two parts by a narrow line between the eyes. Posterior half of rump not prominently white, a small area only round the base of the tail slightly paler than the rest.

Skull and horns as in D. pygargus, except that the latter are of a more or less whitish colour.

Skull-measurements of a male:—basal length 11·5 inches, greatest breadth 5·1, muzzle to orbit 8·3.

Hab. Northern plains of Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, and Bechuana-land (now nearly extinct).

The Blessbok, so called from the white blaze on its forehead (“bles” in Dutch), is of exactly the same form and general appearance as the Bontebok, so that these two close allies have often been confounded together. But the present species is at once distinguishable by the absence of the broad anal white disk above the tail, which ornaments the Bontebok, and by the paler colour of the sides and flanks.

Whether Burchell, whose scientific term “albifrons” has been universally adopted for the Blessbok, really intended to affix that name to the present species or to the Bontebok, is, to say the best of it, very doubtful. As we have already stated, both the vernacular names “Blessbok” and “Bontebok” were occasionally applied by the Boers to Damaliscus pygargus, and therefore, although Burchell expressly invented his name “albifrons” for what he called the “Blessbok,” he equally intended by that term to designate the long-known Bontebok, from which he did not distinguish the Blessbok. It so happened, however, that this was done in reference to a specimen of the latter, so that his name has been rightly retained for it. As we have pointed out in the previous article, these two near allies were first correctly discriminated by Harris, and it is therefore in any case wise to abide by his decision as to their proper names, both scientific and vernacular. Indeed Harris’s lead on this difficult question has been generally followed.

In Harris’s days, 1836–37, the Blessbok inhabited “the elevated tracts to the eastward of the Colony known as the Bontebok Flats,” and was found on the great plains south of the Vaal River in “astounding herds.” Here it was that his first introduction to this splendid Antelope took place. Harris gives us a graphic account of how he lost himself in the wilderness when engaged in the pursuit of these herds and barely escaped with his life.

“The absence of fuel shortly obliged us to continue our march over a succession of salt-pans, upon which numerous great herds of Blessboks were busily licking the crystallized efflorescence. Alarmed at the approach of our cavalcade, vast troops of them were continually sweeping past against the wind, carrying their broad white noses close to the ground like a pack of harriers in full cry. Having never obtained any specimens of this species, and our stock of provisions, moreover, grievously requiring to be recruited, I mounted Breslar, my favourite Rosinante, and, little heeding whither I sped, dashed into the very thick of the Antelopes. The pine-apple hill bearing east about five miles, must, I concluded, prove a never-failing landmark to direct my return to the road, which, however faint it had become, could still readily be distinguished by a practised eye. Dealing death around, I thus continued to scour the ensanguined plain, and to use my pleasure with the herd before me, which had in the meantime increased from hundreds to thousands—reinforcements still pouring in from all directions when, crying ‘hold, enough,’ I stayed my hand from slaughter, and having divested some of the primest of their brilliant party-coloured robes, I packed the spolia on my horse, and, well satisfied with my performance, set out to rejoin the waggons. But ah! vainly was it that I sought for them. Cantering to and fro between the string of frosted salt-pans and the little hill, which, floating in the sea of mirage that environed it, seemed as though poised in the sky, again and again I strained my eyes for the road. The monotony of the landscape baffled all attempts at recognition, and my search proved utterly fruitless. Every feature of the scene was precisely the same—the table mountains were completely obscured by the midday haze—and in the constant recurrence of similar forms, I lost the points of the compass, and at last became totally bewildered.”

In fact it took Harris on this occasion nearly three days and three nights wandering before he managed to rejoin his waggons.

At the present time these mighty herds have altogether vanished. So late as 1861 Mr. E. L. Layard wrote that the Blessbok was “still found in considerable herds on the north-eastern border of Colony.” But in 1889 Mr. Bryden (‘Kloof and Karroo’) tells us that this Antelope had become quite extinct within the limits of Capeland. Messrs. Nicolls and Eglington, however, inform us that the Blessbok is still to be found on some farms in the Transvaal, and in one or two spots in the Orange Free State. “Previous to Sir Charles Warren’s Expedition in 1884 they were fairly common on the open flats in Southern Bechuanaland, particularly in the neighbourhood of Groot Choiang, and also in the district of Rhamathlabama, a few miles north of Mafeking. They are now practically extinct there, an occasional troop only straying into that district from the preserved farms in the Transvaal.”

Fig. 11.

Damaliscus albifrons.

Of the Blessbok, so far as I know, Lord Derby never procured for the Knowsley Menagerie but a single female, which was figured by Waterhouse Hawkins on the same plate of the ‘Gleanings’ as the Bonteboks. At the sale of the Knowsley Menagerie in August 1851, this animal was purchased by Mr. Westermann for the Zoological Society of Amsterdam. In 1861 the Zoological Society of London received, as a present from Sir George Grey, then Governor of the Cape Colony, a single female of this Antelope along with other valuable animals. A male of the same species was obtained by purchase in 1862 and a female about two years later. These animals throve and bred in the Society’s Gardens, and young ones were born in 1866, 1869, and 1870. But in the absence of fresh importations the whole stock was lost, and no Blessboks have been exhibited in the Society’s Gardens since 1880, when a single specimen was received “on deposit.” In many of the continental gardens also Blessboks were formerly to be seen, but of late years they have become extremely scarce; although we are informed that there are still solitary examples living at Berlin, Antwerp, and Amsterdam, and Mr. Reiche kindly tells us that he imported three females from the Transvaal this summer.

In the National Collection at the British Museum the Blessbok, we regret to say, is even more imperfectly represented than the Bontebok. Besides a mounted female specimen in bad condition there are only a few frontlets of this species, so that additional specimens of this beautiful Antelope, before it becomes quite extinct, would be specially acceptable.

The drawing of this Antelope (Plate IX.) and the woodcut now given (p. 82) were both prepared under Sir Victor Brooke’s directions. The Plate was engraved by Smit from one of Mr. Wolf’s sketches.

January, 1895.

THE BOOK OF ANTELOPES. PL. X.

Wolf del. Smit lith.

Hanhart imp.

The Sassaby.

DAMALISCUS LUNATUS.

Published by R. H. Porter.

15. THE SASSABY.
DAMALISCUS LUNATUS (Burch.).
[PLATE X.]

Sasayby, Daniell, Afr. Sketch, pl. 18 (1820).

Antilope lunata, Burchell, Travels, ii. p. 334 (1824); id. List Quadr. pres. to B. M. p. 5 (1825) (Makkwarin R., Orange Free State); Fisch. Syn. Mamm. p. 642 (1830); Wagn. Schr. Säug. Supp. iv. p. 471 (1844), v. p. 446 (1855); Schinz, Syn. Mamm. ii. p. 444 (1845); Gieb. Säug. p. 298 (1859).

Damalis lunata, Ham. Sm. Griff. Cuv. An. K. iv. p. 352, plate (copied from Daniell), v. p. 364 (1827); Smuts, Enum. Mamm. Cap. p. 89 (1832); Gray, Ann. Mag. N. H. (1) xviii. p. 233 (1846); id. List Ost. B. M. p. 59 (1847); id. P. Z. S. 1850, p. 140; id. Knowsl. Men. p. 21 (1850); id. Cat. Ung. B. M. p. 125 (1852); Gerr. Cat. Bones Mamm. B. M. p. 244 (1862); Fitz. SB. Wien, lix. pt. 1, p. 180 (1869); Gray, Cat. Rum. B. M. p. 45 (1872); id. Hand-l. Rum. B. M. p. 115 (1873); Jent. Cat. Ost. Leyd. Mus. (Mus. Pays-Bas, ix.) p. 139 (1887); id. Cat. Mamm. Leyd. Mus. (op. cit. xi.) p. 171 (1892); Nicolls & Egl. Sportsm. S. Afr. p. 33, pl. vi. fig. 19 (head) (1892).

Acronotus lunatus, A. Sm. S. Afr. Quart. Journ. ii. p. 222 (1834); Harr. Wild An. S. Afr. pl. viii. (1840); Gray, List Mamm. B. M. p. 157 (1843); id. List Ost. B. M. p. 59 (1847).

Bubalus lunatus, A. Sm. Ill. Zool. S. Afr. pl. xxxi. (animal) (1841).

Bubalis lunata, Sund. Pecora, K. Vet.-Ak. Hand-l. 1844, p. 209 (1846); id. ibid. Hornschuch’s Transl., Arch. Skand. Beitr. ii. p. 159; Reprint, p. 83 (1848); Temm. Esq. Zool. Guin. p. 195 (1853); Drummond, Large Game S. Afr. p. 426 (1875); Ward, Horn Meas. p. 66 (1892); Lyd. Horns and Hoofs, p. 202 (1893); Selous, P. Z. S. 1893, p. 1 (hybrid with B. caama).

Alcelaphus lunatus, Buckley, P. Z. S. 1876, p. 285 (distribution); Selous, P. Z. S. 1881, p. 764; id. Hunter’s Wanderings S. Afr. p. 225 (1881); Flow. & Gars. Cat. Ost. Coll. Surg. p. 273 (1884).

Vernacular Names:—Bastard Hartebeest of Cape colonists; Sassaybe (Tsess[=e]be) of Bechuanas, now Anglicized into Sassăby by sportsmen generally; Incolomo and Incomazan of Matabili; Inkweko of Masubias; Unchuru of Makubas; Inyundo of Makalakas; Luchu or Lechu of Masaras (Selous); Myunzi of Zulus (Rendall).

Size large; height at withers nearly 4 feet. General colour dark chestnut-rufous; front of face, outer sides of shoulders, and hips black. Chin and end of muzzle paler than cheeks. Belly purplish rufous, the groins and back of horns only white. Limbs with the dark colour of shoulders and hips passing round them just above knees and hocks; below these the legs are all reddish brown. Tail with its tuft reaching to the hock, its base like the back, its crested terminal half black.

Face-hairs reversed up to horns. No glandular suborbital brushes.

Skull-measurements of an adult male:—basal length 14·9 inches, greatest breadth 6·2, muzzle to orbit 10·8.

Horns cylindrical, evenly curved, starting outwards and backwards, gradually turning inwards and backwards. There is also a slight lyration of the horns, so that both points and bases are directed a little upwards, the general lunate curve being thereby disturbed. Good male horns attain a length of 14 or 15 inches, with a basal circumference of 7 or 8.

Hab. S.E. Africa, north of the Orange River up to the Zambesi, and westward to the district of Lake Ngami.

The Sassaby is a fine large Antelope well known to the sportsmen of South-east Africa. Though it certainly belongs to this group, it is rather isolated by the peculiar form of the horns, which somewhat resemble those of the Tora. It nearest allies are no doubt the Blessbok and Bontebok, which, however, it considerably exceeds in stature, being nearly as big as a Hartebeest.

The first discovery of the Sassaby is due to the researches of the celebrated African traveller, Dr. William J. Burchell. On the 10th of July, 1812, when on the Makkwárin River, in what is now the Orange Free State, Burchell’s hunters obtained a single specimen of an Antelope which was at once recognized as “new,” and was subsequently described in the second volume of the author’s ‘Travels’ (published in 1824), as the “Crescent-horned Antelope, Antilope lunata” Burchell states that it seemed to be an extremely scarce animal, as he never met with it again during the whole of his journeyings, the fact being that he had only just entered within the southern boundary of the range of this species. Burchell’s typical specimen, or rather portions of it, viz. the frontlet and horns, is still in the National Collection, to which he presented it.

Between the period of the discovery of the Sassaby by Burchell and the publication of its description this Antelope attracted the attention of another observer, Samuel Daniell, an artist who accompanied Dr. Somerville on two expeditions into the interior of the Cape Colony early in the present century. One of the copperplates engraved by William Daniell from the drawings made by his deceased brother Samuel, and published in 1820, gives a good representation of this species, which is stated in the accompanying letterpress to be “an Antelope, heretofore not described, found in the Booshwana country.” But no further particulars are given of it.

Hamilton-Smith, in his volume on the Ruminants, published in Griffith’s Translation of Cuvier’s ‘Règne Animal,’ correctly brought together Daniell’s “Sassaby” and Burchell’s Antilope lunata under one head and added a copy of Daniell’s figure.

Except in the quotations of its names by various systematists we find little more recorded of the Sassaby until 1840, when Capt. W. Cornwallis Harris gave an excellent account of it in his beautiful work on the ‘Game and Wild Animals of Southern Africa.’ This experienced sportsman and artist devoted one of his life-like plates to the representation of this Antelope, with which he had made himself well acquainted. “The Sassaybe,” he tells us, “like its congener, the Hartebeest, delights in the neighbourhood of hills, frequenting the open country with island-looking mimosa-groves, as well as the patches of scraggy forest that skirt the foot of many of the superior mountain ranges, which, however, neither species ever ascends. Among the parks of mokaala trees about the Cashan and Kurichane mountains we constantly saw them.” The painted skins of the Sassaby were in those days, Harris tells us, “in great request amongst the savages for kobos or leathern mantles, as well on account of their brilliant colours as from their extreme suppleness.” In this article of dress, Harris tells us, "the shining black tail, opened and squeezed flat, was usually fastened on so as to depend like a queue from the back of the neck, and the universal admiration in which this elegant appendage was held rendered its wearer the subject of many a quarrel.”

Very shortly after the publication of Harris’s ‘Portraits,’ Dr. Andrew Smith published his scientific account of the Sassaby in one of the numbers of his ‘Illustrations of the Zoology of South Africa.’ After an accurate description Dr. Smith well remarks that “between the appearances of the horns of the Sassaby and the Caama there are such marked differences, that we must at once conclude that no valid importance ought to be attached either to the form or direction of horns in the grouping of species. The subocular glands also differ materially in these two animals: in the Caama they are covered with short hair, similar to that of the other parts of the face; in the Sassaby they are without covering. In the Caama, the last portion of the tail is completely encircled with hair; in the Sassaby the sides and upper surface only are so furnished, the under surface being bare. In general appearance the two animals present a strong resemblance to each other.” Dr. Smith adds the following note on the habits of this species:—

“While B. caama seems to prefer the open grassy plains for its feeding-places, the Sassaby apparently delights to resort to situations in the vicinity of wood, or to such as are actually wooded, and in districts of the latter description large herds are often observed feeding among the dense brushwood without apparent concern. All the individuals we saw near to Latakoo were vigilant in watching our motions, and apparently little disposed to trust themselves within our reach; while those, again, on the other side of Kurrichane were comparatively tame, and though they did not actually resist our approach, yet they often continued in the situations in which we discovered them, until they were quite within the range of our guns; and even after being fired at they only retreated slowly, and rarely without frequently turning round as they retired to watch our movements. Their retreat, after each examination of the kind mentioned, was commonly preceded by some significant springs or strange gesticulations, such as are often made by common domestic cattle when they are put to flight by any object which excites their alarm. In point of manners, both the Sassaby and the Hartebeest show a considerable resemblance to the bovine tribe, and, except the Gnu, more so than any of the other Antelopes.”

Coming to more modern times, Mr. T. E. Buckley, in his excellent article on the “Geographical Distribution of South-African Mammals,” read before the Zoological Society of London in 1876, gives us the subjoined notes of his experience of this species:—“Although, in Harris’s time, the Sassaybe appears to have been common on the plains, at the present day it is essentially a bush-loving animal. According to Dr. A. Smith the Sassabye was rarely known to advance to the south of Latakoo; at present its southern limit appears to be the Amaswazi country; along the Limpopo it is very common, and continues so into the Matabili country up to the Zambesi. The old males do not seem to associate with the females; nor do they appear so common, as out of nearly a dozen obtained by us only two were males, and one of these was immature. We observed very young calves in October. The Sassabye runs with a peculiar gait, reminding one of a rocking-horse; its shoulders are very high, sloping away to the rump; it does not seem to be a very shy animal.”

Five years later the experienced African hunter and naturalist, Mr. F. C. Selous, in the same Journal, gives us the following notes on this Antelope:—“In travelling up the centre of South Africa, the first place in which the Sassaby is to be met with now-a-days is in the neighbourhood of the Marico River, a tributary of the Limpopo; and from there it is found throughout Central South Africa wherever I have been, south of the Zambesi, in all those parts of the country that are suitable to its habits. I say south of the Zambesi, because during my journey through the Manica country to the north of that river in 1877–78, although the terrain appeared well suited to its habits and requirements, I saw none of these Antelopes. I have heard, however, from the natives that they are very common in the neighbourhood of Sesheke.

“This Antelope is never found in hilly country or in thick jungle, but frequents the open downs that are quite free from bush, or else open forest-country in which treeless glades are to be met with. On the Mababe Flat at the end of the dry season large herds of these animals congregate together, and I have often seen, I am sure, several hundreds of them at once. They are, without exception, the fleetest and most enduring Antelope in South Africa. In 1879 all the Tsessebe and Blue Wildebeest cows calved on the northern bank of the Chobe during the first week in September, whilst on the Mababe Flat, only about one degree further south, the same animals did not calve before the first week in November.”

Mr. Bertram L. Sclater, R.E., who was at Beira for a week in April 1892, on his way home from Nyasaland, informs us that he was told in that town that the Sassaby is one of the commonest Antelopes on the banks of the Lower Pungwe, and that he was shown several frontlets of this species said to have been obtained between Beira and Chimoio. So far as we know, this is the furthest northern locality recorded for this species, which, as shown by Mr. Selous, does not appear to be found anywhere north of the Zambesi.

Fig. 12.

Head of supposed hybrid between Damaliscus lunatus and Bubalis caama.

(P. Z. S. 1893, p. 2.)

At a meeting of the Zoological Society of London in January 1893 Mr. Selous made another interesting communication on this Antelope, exhibiting a skull which he believed to be that of a hybrid between it and the Hartebeest. This curious animal was shot in 1890 on the Tati River, Matabeleland, by Cornelius van Rooyen, a well-known Boer hunter. While this skull, which is now in the British Museum, closely resembles that of the Hartebeest, its horns partake of the characters of both the supposed parents. They stand nearly straight up from the skull as in the Hartebeest, but are slightly lunate in form and ringed as in the Sassaby. Mr. Selous was informed that the general colour of its skin was precisely that of the Sassaby, but that it carried the comparatively large bushy tail of the Hartebeest. As hybrids amongst the larger mammals are excessively rare in a wild state, this occurrence is well worthy of record, and we have to thank the Zoological Society for kindly permitting us to use their woodcut to illustrate it.

Besides the typical frontlet of this species in the British Museum, already mentioned, there are a mounted pair in the Gallery obtained by Dr. Andrew Smith, and skeletons of both sexes made from specimens shot on the Manyame River, Mashonaland, by Mr. Selous.

The Sassaby is rarely seen in captivity. So far as we know, the only specimens ever brought alive to Europe are two females imported by Mr. C. Reiche, of Alfeld, from the Transvaal in 1888. One of these was sold to the Amsterdam Gardens (where Sclater inspected it in April 1889), and the other to the Antwerp Gardens.

Our figure of this species (Plate X.) was put on the stone by Mr. Smit from a sketch made for Sir Victor Brooke by Mr. Wolf.

January, 1895.

GENUS III. CONNOCHÆTES.

Size large, form thick and clumsy; the withers not disproportionately higher than the rump; head massive, with a broad and bristly muzzle; face with a large median tuft of thick black hairs uniting the suborbital tufts; nostrils widely separated, hairy within; neck maned; hoofs narrow; tail with its tuft reaching nearly to the ground, long-haired throughout; mammæ four.

Colour grey, brown, or black, the long hairs of the dorsal and throat manes and of the tail generally black, sometimes white.

Skull broad and heavy, not specially elongated; ends of premaxillæ expanded.

Horns present in both sexes; thickened and expanded at their bases; starting outwards or downwards for their proximal halves, their points abruptly curved upwards.

Range of the Genus. South and East Africa.

This genus, that of the curious and eccentric-looking animals known as Gnus, contains two very different sections, almost worthy of being considered distinct genera. One of these consists of two closely allied forms, the Brindled and White-maned Gnu, and the other of the White-tailed or “Common” Gnu, the most peculiar and specialized of all. Their differences may be summarized as follows:—

THE BOOK OF ANTELOPES, PL. XI.

Wolf del. Smit lith.

Hanhart imp.

The Brindled Gnu.

CONNOCHÆTES TAURINUS.

Published by R. H. Porter

16. THE BRINDLED GNU.
CONNOCHÆTES TAURINUS (Burch.).
[PLATE XI.]

Antilope gnu, var., Licht. Mag. nat. Freund. Berlin, vi. p. 166 (?).

Kokoon, Daniell, Afr. Scenery, p. 37 (1820).

Antilope taurina, Burchell, Travels, ii. p. 278 (1824); id. List Quadr. pres. to B. M. p. 7 (1825) (Maadji Mts.); Fisch. Syn. Mamm. p. 476 (1829); Schinz, Syn. Mamm. ii. p. 447 (1845); Gieb. Säug. p. 299 (1859).

Catoblepas taurinus, Ham. Sm. Griff. Cuv. An. K. iv. p. 369, v. p. 368 (1827); Fisch. Syn. Mamm. p. 642 (1830); Smuts, Enum. Mamm. Cap. p. 94 (1832); A. Sm. S. Afr. Quart. J. ii. p. 233 (1834); Less. Compl. Buff. x. p. 305 (1836); Gray, List Mamm. B. M. p. 154 (1843); Sund. Pecora, K. Vet.-Ak. Hand-l. 1844, p. 205 (1846); id. ibid. Hornschuch’s Transl., Arch. Skand. Beitr. ii. p. 156; Reprint, p. 80 (1848); A. Sm. Ill. Zool. S. Afr. pl. xxxviii. (♀ & yg.) (1849) Fitz. SB. Wien, lix. pt. 1, p. 182 (1869); Brehm, Thierl. iii. p. 290, fig. (animal) (1880).

Catoblepas gorgon, Ham. Sm. Griff. Cuv. An. K. iv. p. 371, v. p. 369 (1827); Fisch. Syn. Mamm. p. 643 (1830); A. Sm. S. Afr. Quart. J. ii. p. 233 (1834); Less. Compl. Buff. x. p. 306 (1836); Harris, Wild Anim. S. Afr. pl. iv. (1840); Gray, List Mamm. B. M. p. 154 (1843); id. Ann. Mag. N. H. (1) xviii. p. 232 (1846); id. P. Z. S. 1850, p. 139; id. Knowsl. Men. p. 20 (1850); Temm. Esq. Zool. Guin. p. 195 (1853); Sclater, P. Z. S. 1864, p. 103 (Uzaramo, Speke); Kirk, P. Z. S. 1864, p. 660 (Zambesia); Fitz. loc. cit.; Drummond, Large Game S. Afr. p. 425 (1875); Selous, P. Z. S. 1881, p. 764 (distribution); id. Hunter’s Wanderings S. Afr. p. 226 (1881); Bryden, Kloof and Karroo, p. 293 (1889).

Antilope gorgon, Wagn. Schr. Säug. Supp. iv. p. 474 (1844), v. p. 448 (1855); Schinz, Syn. Mamm. ii. p. 446 (1845); Peters, Säug. Mozamb. p. 192 (1852).

Connochætes gorgon, Gray, Cat. Ung. B. M. p. 121 (1852); Gerr. Cat. Bones Mamm. B. M. p. 243 (1862).

Gorgon fasciatus, Gray, Cat. Rum. B. M. p. 43 (1872); id. Hand-l. Rum. B. M. p. 114 (1873).

“Butragus corniculatus, Blyth, MS.,” Gray, Cat. Rum. B. M. p. 43 (1872).

Connochætes gnu, Hunter, in Willoughby’s East Africa, p. 288.

Connochætes taurinus, Scl. List An. Z. S. (8) p. 150 (1883); Flow. & Gars. Cat. Ost. Coll. Surg. p. 275 (1884); Jent. Cat. Ost. Leyd. Mus. (Mus. Pays-Bas, ix.) p. 139 (1887); Crawshay, P. Z. S. 1890, p. 663 (Nyasa); Flow. & Lyd. Mamm. p. 336 (1891); Nicolls & Egl. Sportsm. S. Afr. p. 47, pl. iii. fig. 8 (head) (1892); Ward, Horn Meas. p. 72, fig. (horns) (1892); Jent. Cat. Mamm. Leyd. Mus. (Mus. Pays-Bas, xi.) p. 170 (1892); Lyd. Horns and Hoofs, p. 205, fig. 42 (head) (1893).

Catoblepas reichei, Noack, Zool. Anz. 1893, p. 153 (Upper Limpopo).

Vernacular Names:—Blue Wildebeest of English colonists (Selous); Bastard or Blauw Wildebeeste of Dutch colonists (Harris); Kokoong of Bachapins (Burchell); Kokoon of Bechuanas (Harris); Nyumbo in Zambesia (Peters & Kirk); Kaop and Baas of Namaquas and Hottentots (Harris); Imbutuma of Kaffirs (Drummond); Ink[=o]ne-kn[=o]e of Matabilis; Ee-vumba of Makalakas; Numbo of Masubias; Minyumbwe of Batongas; Unzozo of Makubas (Selous); Ink[=o]ne-k[=o]ne of Swazis (Rendall).

Height at withers about 48 inches.

Fur short and close, with peculiar vertical lines of differently directed hairs on the sides of the neck and body, whence the epithet “Brindled.” General colour dull grey, lighter and more tinged with rufous on the rump and limbs. Face (except a paler area between the eyes), chin, dorsal and throat manes deep black. Tail long, its vertebræ almost reaching to the hock; its upper surface coloured like the rump, its under surface and the long tuft black.

Lower part of face and lacrymal region heavily tufted, the hairs directed downwards; the short ones of the terminal inch on the tip of the muzzle, however, pointed upwards.

Skull large and heavy, with a long muzzle. That of an old male measures as follows:—basal length 18·1 inches, greatest breadth 7·7, muzzle to orbit 13·3.

Horns placed so that the hinder edge of their palm is little more than level with the back of the skull; the palm itself comparatively low, smooth, small in comparison with the enormous palm of C. gnu. Beyond the palm the basal two-thirds of the horn points directly outwards, while the ends are curved upwards, forwards, and inwards. A fine pair of horns will measure 26 or 28 inches between the outer sides of the curves of the two horns.

Hab. Eastern Africa, from the Vaal River northwards through Zambesia, Nyasaland, and German East Africa to the north of Kilimanjaro.

The Brindled Gnu, although, as it seems, previously observed by Lichtenstein in Bechuanaland, was first actually obtained by the celebrated African traveller Burchell, who went far into the interior of the country in 1811 and 1812. In June of the latter year, when encamped at the great Khosi Fountain in Bechuanaland, as he tells us in the second volume of his ‘Travels,’ an example of a “new species of Antelope” was brought in by his hunters. Being well acquainted with the White-tailed Gnu of the Cape Colony, Burchell at once recognized it as a second species of that genus. Burchell pointed out its differences from its southern representative very clearly, and added a scientific Latin diagnosis in a footnote. He called it Antilope taurina, because its horns resembled those of an Ox more than those of any other Antelope. The half-bred Hottentots, he observes, give it the name of the Bastaard Wildebeest, while the Bechuanas call it Kokūn or Kokūng. Altogether Burchell obtained five specimens of this Antelope, one of which (a female), shot in the following October near the Maadji Mountains, was, as we learn from his "List of Quadrupeds,” presented to the British Museum in 1817, and seems to have formed the basis of his technical description.

Two years previous to the actual publication of Burchell’s description, however, the Brindled Gnu had been figured in Daniell’s ‘Sketches of African Scenery’ under the name of the “Kokoon.”

In 1827 Major Charles Hamilton-Smith, F.R.S., in Griffith’s edition of Cuvier’s ‘Animal Kingdom,’ besides recognizing C. gnu and C. taurina, added a presumed third species of the genus, which he based on a specimen then exhibited in the "Museum of the Missionary Society of London." It is quite clear, however, from the description and figure that Hamilton-Smith’s C. gorgon is identical with Burchell’s previously described Antilope taurina, and that the latter term should take precedence, although many naturalists have preferred to use Hamilton-Smith’s name for this species.

Fig. 13.

Adult Brindled Gnu.

(Roy. Nat. Hist. vol. ii. p. 314.)

In 1836 and 1837 the celebrated artist and sportsman, Cornwallis Harris, met with the Brindled Gnu on the plains of what is now the Orange Free State in “countless numbers.” “Instantly after crossing the Orange River,” he tells us, “the Kokoon or Brindled Gnu usurps the place of the White-tailed species, and, although herds of the former may actually be seen grazing on the northern bank, not a single individual has ever been known to pass the barrier.... By the Dutch Boers the present species is termed the Bastaard or Blauw Wilde Beest: throughout the country of the Bechuanas, as far as the Tropic, it is recognized as the Kokoon, and the Hottentot tribes designate it the Kaop or Baas, both of which terms, signifying master, refer, in all probability, to its bold and terrific bearing. When excited by the appearance of any suspicious object, or aroused by any unusual noise, the Kokoon is wont to appear much more grim and ferocious than it actually proves—not unfrequently approaching with an air of defiance, as if resolved to do battle with the hunter, but decamping on the first exhibition of hostility on his part. On being pursued, the herd bring their aquiline noses low between their knees, and flourishing their streaming black tails, tear away in long regular files at a furious gallop, wheeling curiously about at a distance of two or three hundred yards, advancing boldly towards the danger, tossing their shaggy heads in a threatening manner—presently making a sudden stop, presenting an impenetrable front of horns, and staring wildly at the object of their mistrust.... When engaged in grazing they have an extremely dull and clumsy appearance, and at a little distance might often be mistaken for wild buffaloes; but their manner is sportive—at one moment standing to gaze at nothing, and at the next scampering over the plain without any apparent object in view, making grotesque curvets and plunges, with their preposterous Bonassus-looking heads held down between the fore legs.”

In his valuable ‘Illustrations of South-African Zoology,’ Sir Andrew Smith gives an excellent account of this species (published in August 1842), accompanied by an indifferent figure of the female and young. Sir Andrew justly observes that this and the Common Gnu are two of the most interesting and extraordinary quadrupeds which occur in South Africa. “When either the one or other of those animals, especially under excitement, stands in front of an observer, with the head and anterior parts of the body only distinctly visible, the idea of its strong resemblance to a small ox immediately arises. When, again, its body and posterior parts are the portions most conspicuously in view, the likeness to a horse is remarkable; but when its limbs only are taken in review, it presents a strong similarity to the more typical Antelopes.”

At the time when these observations were made both the Gnus, according to Sir Andrew Smith, inhabited, in enormous multitudes, the grassy plains to the northward of the Vaal River, and after the fall of the summer rains were in the habit of advancing simultaneously in large herds as far as the southern branches of the Orange River. But on reaching the latter stream singularly enough the Brindled Gnu ceased to advance, and the Common Gnu alone passed into the Cape Colony. The appearance of the latter to the south of the Orange River was the signal for hunters of all denominations to prepare for the chase, and though the yearly slaughter was very great the herds in those days never ceased to renew their periodical visitations. Strongly expressed as are the views of both Andrew Smith and Harris as to the line of demarcation between the two species of Gnu, there seems to be some doubt as to their correctness. An excellent recent authority, Mr. H. A. Bryden (‘Kloof and Karroo’), tells us that the Brindled Gnu was in former days certainly a “denizen, albeit a rare one, south of the Orange River,” and gives us Gordon-Cumming as an authority. Gordon-Cumming asserts (‘Hunter’s Life in South Africa,’ p. 148) that he met with the Brindled Gnu in the Karroo country west of Colesberg, in what is now the Hopetown division of the Cape Colony. But Mr. Bryden admits that it has now for many years been extinct in that district. In the Transvaal, also, he tells us, the Boers have, of late years, played sad havoc with this singular Antelope, not long ago found in countless thousands on the plains of that Republic.

Messrs. Nicolls and Eglington, in their ‘Sportsman in South Africa,’ tell us the same story. Writing in 1892, they state that, except in some of the northern districts along the Crocodile River, the Brindled Gnu is now extremely scarce in the Transvaal, and practically extinct in the Orange Free State. But it is still met with in Bechuanaland, and is fairly plentiful along the edges of the Great Kalahari Desert. “In the Lake Ngami district, on both banks of the Botletle River, and from thence right up to the Chobe and Zambesi, it is quite common in suitable localities, and, at the present time, large troops may be seen on the Ma-Chara-Chara and Mababe Flats, and in the country surrounding the great salt-pans of Makari-Kari, through which the main road passes to the Victoria Falls.”

So much for the occurrence of this species in the South and South-west of Africa, past and present. But we must now trace its distribution to the north; for it is an extraordinary fact that the Brindled Gnu, instead of being confined, like its sister species, to a small part of South Africa, extends up along the eastern coast certainly as far as Kilimanjaro, and perhaps even into Sennaar, where reports of the occurrence of a Gnu-like Antelope were made to Heuglin. It is, however, possible that some of these northern Gnus may belong to the White-maned species, which we shall presently mention.

Beginning from the Limpopo, Mr. Selous tells us that the Brindled Gnu is found all over this portion of South-eastern Africa up to the Zambesi, in districts suitable to its habits—that is, “in open downs devoid of bush and in open glades in the forest,” but not in hilly countries. Peters and Sir John Kirk both enroll it among the mammals of Zambesia, the latter author stating that at the time of his visit it was “very abundant in considerable herds in the Batoka country, also near Lake Shirwa, and at Shupanga on the Zambesi.” As to its present existence in the Shiré Highlands, Mr. B. L. Sclater, R.E., sends us the following notes.—“In November 1891, while travelling between Zomba and Milanji, I was shooting in the marshes on the west bank of the Tochila. I saw a Gnu and tried to stalk it, but it was right in the open and I could not get near it. My head man, a Swahili, said it was a Gnu (Nyumbo), and he was well acquainted with that animal. Again, in 1892, at Midima, to the south of the Tochila, I obtained a tail of a Gnu from a native, who told me that formerly there was a large herd of them on these plains, but that he thought they were now all killed. I believe that Mr. Sharpe has met with the Gnu on the plains to the west of the Upper Shiré, between Matope and the sources of the Lesungwi River.”

As regards the more northern portion of the British Central African Protectorate, Mr. Crawshay tells us that the Gnu is apparently unknown to the natives round the northern half of Lake Nyasa, and is not met with anywhere in the immediate neighbourhood of the Lake, though found a little to the south-east, and also, he believes, to the south-west.

In 1864 Speke met with the Brindled Gnu in large herds in Khutu, on the western borders of Uzaramo, close to the Kingani River, where it inhabits the “park-like lands adjoining the stream.”

Later on Sir John Kirk obtained heads of it in the same district, and has favoured us with the following notes on its occurrence in this part of German East Africa:—

“As regards the Brindled Gnu in East Africa, I may say that, although familiar with this animal on the Upper Zambezi near the Victoria Falls, where they were common in 1860, I have only since shot them in Ukami, to the west of Dar-es-salam, and on the River Wami inland from Bagomoyo. In the plains and on the rolling ground between the River Rufiji and the River Wami they used to be common. I have shot them within ten miles of the coast, and I believe that they extend back to the foot of the mountains.

“As I was not then acquainted with the species or variety lately found by Jackson, I cannot from memory express any opinion as to the identity of these animals, further than that they seemed to me identical with the Brindled Gnus I had killed years previously near the Victoria Falls and Sesheke on the Upper Zambezi.

“In East Africa, near the coast, in the places above-named where I found this Antelope, it never occurs in numbers, but is often associated as an attendant on other game, especially upon Lichtenstein’s Hartebeest. It often causes annoyance to the sportsman by giving warning of his approach to the other Antelopes.

“I believe this Gnu suffered from the recent cattle-disease which during the last four years has decimated the Buffalo, the Giraffe, the Eland, and many other kinds of game, not affecting, however, the Rhinoceros, and certain other animals. This disease seems to have killed off different classes of animals in different localities, attacking universally, wherever it appeared, the cattle of the natives.

“Thousands of hides of cattle that have died of this plague have been freely imported into Europe and America; the disease has travelled from Somali-land to Nyasa-land, and yet we do not know its nature. Some say it is anthrax, others that it is pleuro-pneumonia; but whether it is a disease that can be communicated by the dried hides of the diseased animals has not been ascertained. In Somali-land and Masai-land it has worked itself out, and it may stop short of the Cape Colony and not cross the Zambezi; but in the meantime it has decimated the African Game, and left its mark by changing the whole life of the pastoral peoples who depended on their cattle alone."

In British East Africa the Brindled Gnu (here called by the Swahilis “Nyumbo”) is well-known to the sportsmen who have visited the happy hunting-grounds of Kilimanjaro. Sir John Willoughby and his friends found it principally to the north-east of the mountain “in large herds.” Mr. F. J. Jackson (‘Big Game Shooting’) tells us it is more plentiful in the Useri district to the north-east of Kilimanjaro, and on the Athi plains to the north and west of Machakós, than anywhere else. In the latter place, on August 5, 1890, he and his companions “saw an enormous herd of 1500”; but this was “quite unusual, as they are rarely found in herds of more than from twenty to sixty.” But it is possible that some of Mr. Jackson’s observations may refer to the following species, as when he wrote them he did not distinguish the two animals.

Mr. Jackson gives the following advice to the Gnu-hunter:—“Wildebeests are amongst the most difficult beasts to stalk, owing to the open nature of the country in which they are found, and will probably try the sportsman’s patience more than any other Antelope. They will stand gazing at him, and will sometimes allow him to get within a range of 200 yards, if he pretends to walk past them, though in reality closing in upon them in a semicircle; but directly he stops to take a shot they will shake their heads in the most defiant way, and with a few snorts and flicks of their mule-like tails, kick up their heels and caper off jauntily. As they will, as a rule, pull up a short way off, the sportsman will have the annoyance of again adopting the same tactics, with probably like results, until he might almost believe that the Wildebeest is enjoying itself at his expense. He should, however, avoid risking a long shot (the Wildebeest is an extremely tough brute, and will go for miles when wounded in such a way as would soon bring other game to a standstill), since after two or three fruitless attempts if no shot is fired its suspicions will become allayed, and it will probably stand sufficiently long to give him a good chance.”

The Brindled Gnu is not so commonly met with in Zoological Gardens as the White-tailed species. It is generally considered to be a rarer animal in the market, and the dealers ask a larger price for it. We are informed that a pair of Brindled Gnus bred in the Zoological Gardens at Breslau in 1886 or 1887. The only specimen ever received by the Zoological Society, so far as we can make out, was a female purchased in 1859. In the continental Gardens it has been better represented, and the collections at Antwerp, Amsterdam, and Berlin usually contain specimens of this Antelope. These have been, in many cases, obtained from Mr. Reiche, of Alfeld, who has received several examples of this Gnu among his recent importations of living animals from the Transvaal.

In the British Museum the Brindled Gnu is represented by one of Burchell’s typical examples, as already mentioned, and by an adult male received from Sir Andrew Smith. Both these are mounted specimens. There are likewise a skeleton, obtained by Mr. Selous in Mashonaland in 1885, and a set of skulls and horns in the same collection.

Our Plate of this animal was put on the stone by Mr. Smit from a sketch made by Mr. Wolf. For the use of the woodcut (fig. 13, p. 98), drawn by the celebrated German artist Mützel, we are indebted to the kindness of Messrs. Warne and Co., by whom it has been used in their ‘Royal Natural History’ (vol. ii. p. 314).

January, 1895.

17. THE WHITE-BEARDED GNU.
CONNOCHÆTES ALBOJUBATUS, Thos.

Catoblepas sp. inc., Hengl. Ant. u. Buff. N.O.-Afr., N. Act. Leop. xxx. pt. ii. p. 24 (1868) (Sennaar)?

Connochætes gnu, Hunter, in Willoughby’s E. Afr. p. 288 (1889)?

Connochaætes taurinus albojubatus, Thos. Ann. Mag. N. H. (6) ix. p. 388 (1892); Ward, Horn Meas. p. 75, fig. (head and skull) (1892).

Connochætes taurina, Lugard, E. Afr. i. p. 540, pl. p. 530 (animal) (1893).

Similar in size and coloration to C. taurinus, except that the general tone is paler, especially on the cheeks and rump, and the throat-mane instead of being black is of a dirty yellowish-white colour. A few whitish hairs are also intermixed with the black of the dorsal mane.

The skull is shorter and broader than in C. taurinus, especially in the region of the muzzle, and the horns are placed further back on the head, so that the palm surpasses the back of the skull posteriorly by nearly half its breadth. The palm is also more tipped up behind away from the skull, and is much knobbier, on which account the hinder edge of the horns forms a more serpentine curve.

The dimensions of the typical skull are as follows:—basal length 16 inches, greatest breadth 7·6, muzzle to eye 12·1.

Hab. East Africa, Athi plains, Ukambani, north of Kilimanjaro, and west side of Victoria Nyanza.

As we have already stated, this form, although otherwise agreeing in nearly every point with the Brindled Gnu, is readily distinguishable by its white mane, white jaw-tufts, and the generally paler colour. But whether we ought to classify it as a separate species, or as a subspecies, or only as a variety of the Brindled Gnu future researches only can decide. We know as yet too little of its exact range and mode of occurrence to be able to settle this question, nor is there a sufficient series of specimens available. If it should be found hereafter that beyond a certain boundary in Eastern Africa all the Gnus met with are of the White-bearded form, and that along this line of junction there are transitional forms between this and the ordinary Brindled Gnu, we should do well to allow it merely subspecific rank. If, on the other hand, it shall be found that the White-bearded Gnu occurs side by side with the Brindled Gnu without mixing or interbreeding with that animal, we shall have to count it as a full species.

Fig. 14.

Skull of Connochætes albojubatus, ♂.

Thomas, in 1892, based his Connochætes taurinus albojubatus on a head in Mr. F. J. Jackson’s collection, at that time under the care of Messrs. Rowland Ward and Co., but since kindly presented by Mr. Jackson to the National Collection. Thomas, from erroneous information, gave the locality as “Uganda,” but we have since ascertained that this and another specimen, still in Mr. Jackson’s possession, were obtained on the Athi plains north of Kilimanjaro. Mr. Gedge assures us that no Gnus at all were met with by Mr. Jackson and himself in Uganda.

Mr. Gedge has kindly supplied the following notes on his experiences with the Gnus of British East Africa:—

“Both the Blue Wildebeeste and Jackson’s Wildebeeste are found in British East Africa, and are to be met with in great numbers on the Athi plains north of Ukambani. Of the two, the blue variety is, perhaps, more usually met with, though I would remark that on my upward journey to Uganda, in December 1892, I only encountered a few solitary specimens of the Blue form in a part where they are generally seen in hundreds, whereas on my downward journey, in the month of August of the following year, the same locality was entirely tenanted by Jackson’s Wildebeeste, which on this occasion were so tame that I was able to literally walk right in amongst them and knock them down with a small Winchester. This was really the one and only occasion that I have met with this latter variety in any great numbers. On the other hand, the Blue Wildebeeste will be found more or less commonly distributed over the Leikipia and Mau plateaux. It probably ranges over a very wide extent of country to the northwards, though I cannot remember having seen any Wildebeestes at all north of Lake Baringo. At the same time its non-appearance on the occasion of my visit may doubtless very easily be accounted for by the excessive dryness of the country at that time, and the consequent lack of pasturage. Similarly, I have never seen Gnus anywhere near the Victoria Lake, though possibly other travellers may have done so. The Gnu is an uncouth and ungainly beast in appearance, and, as a rule, will not allow itself to be easily approached. As the open character of the country which it usually frequents more or less precludes any idea of being able to stalk it successfully, the method which I adopted, and which I found answered best, was to walk along quietly parallel to the herd, gradually edging inwards. On such occasions their natural curiosity would often allow a shot to be obtained at a distance of from a hundred and fifty to two hundred yards. Being tough and hard to kill, Gnus must be struck accurately by a weapon with a high degree of penetration. As an illustration of their great vitality, I would mention that on one occasion I had the misfortune to break both the fore legs of one just above the fetlock, and that in spite of these crippling wounds the poor beast was able to cover a distance of nearly half a mile on its stumps before I came sufficiently near to administer the coup-de-grâce. This was in spite of the fact that, in addition to this severe injury, it had received two other solid express bullets in its body, one of which was afterwards discovered to have penetrated the base of the heart. When alarmed the Gnu usually runs but a short distance at a time, at a stiff ungainly gallop, whisking its tail round in the most comical fashion. It then stops and turns to inspect the object of its alarm, at the same time uttering a few snorts. Having satisfied itself of the approaching danger, it will again gallop off and pursue the same tactics several times if unmolested. It is a very harmless and inoffensive animal in spite of its ferocious aspect.”

As regards the Gnus of German East Africa there is the same difficulty. Herr Matschie has kindly sent to Sclater the following notes on this subject:—

“At Berlin we have received from Oscar Neumann several skins and skulls, young and old, of the Gnu [procured during his recent journey northwards from Irangi up the east side of Lake Victoria].

“All of these have white neck-manes and chin-bunches and brownish heads and manes, but in some cases the latter are mixed with white, and the tails are of a similar colour. The body is dirty greyish brown, without a trace of bluish. One old bull shows vertical stripes on the front of the body, the hairs having been worn short.

“The localities are—between Ngera and Irangi; Mount Guerui; Mgogo, north of the Manyara Lake; and further on as far as Ngare Dobasch, where they cease.

“Neumann writes that on Mount Guerui and farther along he observed the two varieties living apart. On the Guerui he saw at the same time a herd of light-coloured Gnus, and a herd varying from bluish black to black, but no transitional forms.”

From Mgogo, Neumann writes:—“By the six skins which I obtained [these skins have not yet arrived in Berlin] I hope to prove that there are two species, or, at any rate, varieties of Gnus—one lilac-black grey, and the other bright yellowish brown. On the Mangoto natron-swamp they kept apart. Here in Mgogo the black form predominates, so that it seems to be the more northern. Of two young examples of about the same age, judging from their horns, one has a black forehead, and the other has two white spots in front of the eyes.

“Von Höhnel and Count Teleki found only grey-black Gnus on Mount Maeru, but these had the neck-manes striped with white and black. On the Naschiri Lake, Teleki first met with a pure white-maned specimen.”

The woodcut of the skull of this Antelope (fig. 14, p. 106) is taken from one of Mr. Jackson’s specimens in the British Museum.

January, 1895.

THE BOOK OF ANTELOPES, PL. XII.

J. Smit del & lith.

Hanhart imp.

The White-tailed Gnu.

CONNOCHÆTES GNU.

Published by R. H. Porter.