Chap. XV if. Mammals — Lazu of Battle. 



509 



force, that I have seen a hard plank deeply indented by a single 

 blow. 



With antelopes it is sometimes difficult to imagine how they 

 can possibly use their curiously-shaped horns ; thus the spring- 

 boc {Ant. euchort) has rather short upright horns, with the 

 sharp points bent inwards almost at right angles, so as to face 

 each other ; Mr. Bartlett does not know how they are used, but 

 suggests that they would inflict a fearful wound down each side 

 of the face of an antagonist. The slightly-curved horns of the 



\'" 



Fig. 63. Oryx leucoryx, male (from the Knowsley Menagerie). 



Oryx leucoryx (fig. 63) are directed backwards, and are of such 

 length that their points reach beyond the middle of the back, 

 over which they extend in almost parallel lines. Thus they 

 seem singularly ill-fitted for fighting ; but Mr. Bartlett informs 

 me that when two of these animals prepare for battle, they kneel 

 down, with their heads between their fore legs, and in this 

 attitude the horns stand nearly parallel and close to the ground, 

 with the points directed forwards and a little upwards. The com- 

 batants then gradually approach each othei\and each endeavours 

 to get the upturned points under the body of the other; if one 

 succeeds in doing this, he suddenly springs up, throwing up his 

 head at the same time, and can thus wound or perhaps even 

 transfix his antagonist. Both animals always kneel down, so as 

 to guard as far as possible against this manoeuvre. It has been 

 recorded that one of these antelopes has used his horns with 

 effect even against a lion ; yet from being forced to place bis 

 head between the fore-legs in order to bring the points of tne 



