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NOTES ON BUBALIS. 



By the HON. WALTER ROTHSCHILD, Ph.D. 



WHEN 1 de.scribp(l Bubalis ncumaiim from Lake Rudolph {Ann. if- Miu/. 

 Nat. Hist. ser. 6. vol. XX., Oct. ISO", p. 370), I was led to compare 

 it with B. major and B. biisclaphus, because Blessrs. Sclater & Thomas jihxced 

 B. lelivel (Heugl.) as a synonym of the latter species. Since my original de- 

 scrijition I have handled a number of skulls and horns of B. neumaimi, besides two 

 entire specimens, male and J'e male, and the characters I mentioned seem fairly 

 constant. In conversation with Mr. Thomas, we came to the conclusion that the 

 treating of B. Idicel as a synonym of B. buselapbis was certainly erroneous, 

 and Mr. Thomas was inclined to think that B. lelweL might be identical with 

 B. neumaimi. It is now my good fortune to have for examination a number 

 of skulls and horns collected by Captain II. M. Sanders, of the Worcester 

 Regiment, in the Bahr-el-Ghazal, Kero, a little north of the 5th degree of lat., 

 and from near Achmcd Aga in the Dinka country. 



Mr. Rowlaud Ward, to whom I am indebted for the loan of these si)ecimens, 

 pointed out to me certain differences between my B. neumaimi and some of 

 Captain Sanders' specimens. On comparison with the typical sknlls and horns 

 of B. neumanni, I find that the two sj)ecimens from the Bahr-el-Ghazal are 

 certainly different, and in Ilenglin's work I find that Ids figures agree with the 

 two latter specimens, and that he gives as the locality for his lelwel the Rek 

 country, near Meschra-er-Rek, also in the Bahr-el-Ghazal district, and not far 

 from where Captain Sanders procured his specimens. 



I, however, find that the two specimens from the Bahr-el-Ghazal district 

 bear a very close resemblance to skulls and horns of B. jacksoni lately collected 

 in Uganda; it is therefore quite jjossible that, when we are able to compare a 

 series of B. jacksoni from the whole of its range, we shall find that B. lelwel 

 is the jiroper name for what we now call B. jacksoni, but the material at my 

 disposal is too inadecpiate to settle this matter finally. 



B. lelwel differs conspicuously from B. neumanni by having the horns much 

 closer together, and the tips directed straight backwards instead of first extending 

 outwards, somewhat at right angles, and then curving inwards. They are also very 

 much longer and stouter, and the distance between the last annulations and the 



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