THE GAZELLES AND THEIR ALLIES 617 



was shot near the headwaters of the Amala River, close to 

 the German border, by Heller. The average horn length 

 in this large series is 24 inches. The record horn length for 

 British East Africa, given by Ward, is 31^^ inches, while 

 that for the typical race of South Africa is 27^ inches. 

 The difference in these lengths represents fairly well the 

 amount of difference in size of the two races. Specimens 

 measuring 27>^ inches are not at all rare in British East 

 Africa. 



In Millais's delightful ''Breath from the Veldt," a book 

 which illustrates well why photographs can never approach 

 in value true pictures of wild life by a competent nature 

 artist, a special study is made of the springbuck. This 

 South African gazelle is shown in all its extraordinary leap- 

 ing postures. There are also pictures of the impalla, but 

 not in its characteristic attitudes. It is a pity that Millais 

 did not do for the impalla what he did so well for the spring- 

 buck and for that most eccentric of four-footed beasts, the 

 white-tailed gnu. Among all the horned animals of middle 

 Africa the impalla is the one which when alarmed takes the 

 most extraordinary leaps and bounds. When a herd is 

 frightened in fairly thick but low bush, the animals go -off 

 almost like birds, springing in every direction, clear over 

 the bushes, or many feet into the air even when there are 

 no bushes. Their carriage is beautiful, their movements 

 are the perfection of grace and agility. Their annulated 

 horns describe each a spiral, and their beautifully colored 

 coats, contrasted red and white, have a satin sheen. Their 

 coloring makes them very conspicuous, as it contrasts 

 sharply with all their usual surroundings. The buck, when 

 amorous, displays the coloration by strutting among the 

 does with tail erect and the hair of the rump and sides 



