138 Field ColuiMbian Museum — Zoology, Vol. i. 



taking a farewell look at me. I started to stalk them when they 

 wheeled and disappeared. With my remaining strength I climbed 

 to the top of the peak, where I had a commanding view on all 

 sides, but I never saw them again. 



Of all the antelope we hunted this species is the most diffi- 

 cult to capture. Their color assimilates so completely with the 

 ston}' ground they frequent that at a hundred yards, unless the 

 animals are moving or stand on the sky line, it is almost impos- 

 sible to see them, even though you know almost exactly where 

 they are. This practical impossibility of observing them together 

 with their wonderful speed, accounts for the few that are killed 

 and the rarity of the species in museums. The skull of the female 

 has a very irregular upper outline, forming nearly a compound 

 curve, convex from the center of the orbits to the supra-occipital. 

 Between the orbits is a depression, and the anterior portion of the 

 frontal and the nasals make a second convex line. The posterior 

 part of the parietal slopes rapidly to the interparietal and supra- 

 occipital. The nasals are very short, of equal width throughout 

 their length, the anterior edge forming a nearly compound curve, 

 convex in the center, and the frontal suture irregularly convex. 

 Premaxillae very long and narrow, curving sharply upward on the 

 posterior half to the nasals, and extending far beyond the first 

 premolar and terminating almost in a point. Facial portion wide 

 between the orbits, narrowing on the superior surface to end of 

 nasals. The width of the face in front of the orbits is continued 

 b}'^ the swelling curved line of the maxillae, which, beginning on 

 a line with the rim of the orbits, slope gradually inward to first 

 upper premolars. Auditory bulla? very large, as is also the 

 external auditory meatus, the latter irregularly oval in shape. 

 Paroccipital process compressed latterly and slightly curving over 

 the bullae. The palatine, reaching posteriorly the middle of last 

 molar, is broad and short, coming to a point in the center. The 

 anterior palatine foramena are long and slender, narrowing 

 sharply at their posterior end. The zygoma is strong, formed 

 chiefly by the molar. Teeth rather large, with supplementary 

 columns on the malar. The coronoid process of the mandible 

 is very long and narrow, and extends beyond the posterior edge 

 of condyle, nearly the whole of which projection is within the 

 outer line of the coronoid. The angle is very broad and rounded 

 and extends but slightly beyond the vertical posterior border of 

 the ramus. Middle incisors very broad at edge; lateral one nar- 

 row, diminishing in size towards the outermost. 



