xi THE SAIGA ANTELOPE 3 I I 



blackish grey, the latter browner in colour. In C. maria and one or 

 two other species the horns are more curved backwards and again 

 forwards than in some of the others, where their form is sublyrate. 



The Eeedbucks, Oervicapra, are closely allied to Coitus ; they 

 are, however, of smaller size. Here, as in that genus, the females 

 are hornless, and the horns of the males are of medium size. 

 Five species are referred to the genus. They are all of a 

 brownish fawn colour. A genus Pelea, with but one species, P. 

 capreolus, has been separated on account of the fact that the 

 horns are nearly straight and that there is no naked patch of 

 skin beneath the ears. This animal has received its name on 

 account of its resemblance to the Roebuck. 



The Antilopine section includes a number of genera. 



The genus Antilope is Indian in range. It includes but one 

 species, A. cervicapra. This Antelope is of medium size, with a 

 brown pelage getting blacker with years; it is thus known as the 

 Black-buck. The female, which is hornless, is lighter brown. The 

 horns are long, spirally twisted, and closely ringed. 



Aepyceros, with two species, is African. The Palla (Ae. melam- 

 pus) is a large Antelope, with longish lyrate horns in the male, 

 which are half-ringed. 



The Saiga Antelope, genus Saiga, is one of the most remark- 

 able types of Antelope in its outward appearance. Its nose 

 is very large and inflated, the two nostrils being quite widely 

 separated, a depression indeed lying between them dorsally. 

 The horns are lyrate in the male, absent in the female. The 

 " ovine expression " of this bovine animal is more pronounced in 

 the female. Corresponding with the clumsy nose are very short 

 nostrils, the commencement of the narial aperture being therefore 

 very far back. It is almost suggestive of Macrauchenia in this 

 respect. The fleece is also Sheep-like. The genus occurred in this 

 country during the Pleistocene. It is now an inhabitant of Eastern 

 Europe and Western Asia. The only species is S. tartarica. 



The Chiru, Pantholops, is allied to the Saiga. The horns of the 

 male are long and nearly straight ; they are ringed in front. The 

 muzzle is swollen in the male ; the nostrils are large, and provided 

 with extensive sacs internally. The colour of this animal, which 

 is exclusively Thibetan in range, is a pale fawn. The hair, in 

 accord with its habitat, is very woolly. No living specimens have 

 ever been brought to Europe. This creature has accumulated much 



